ZeroHour
by L. Adam Bell
Summary: Six months after "The Tenth Disk", Zero is suddenly called back into action! Join him and a new troop of Hunters as they deliver a blow to the newest viral threat...Wraith! Another fine fic by the good folks at Abacus Fiction! R/R!
1. A Recall to Battle...?

Chapter One  
  
Commander's Log - Zero Omega, 21 April 21XX, 0920 hours  
It has been six months since I have been obligated to   
record a log of any kind. The time of my recall to action   
seems all too soon. My friend X and I defeated our   
greatest enemy, the computer virus Sigma, nearly four   
months ago. Since that time, several of my colleagues and   
I have been on vacation leave, allowing some of the junior   
officers to take the reins back at base and gain some   
experience while we were gone.  
The others returning from sabbatical are technical   
engineer and advisor Chakra, top-notch pilot Skyler,   
intermediary officers Hybric and Khizarr, mechanical   
engineer Dragonness, and medical officer Lomae.  
I have been informed, via the Maverick Hunters' neural   
network, that the Hunters have accepted a number of new   
recruits since the senior officers took their respective   
leaves, increasing our numbers by a respectable margin. I   
have arranged for a meeting with a few of the more   
promising "newbies" later this afternoon, once I arrive   
back at base. Shortly after that, I will be briefed on   
any pressing bit of news that happened, by fault or fate,   
to fall through the cracks of the Hunter Intranet by Dr.   
Cain himself, then try to get to sleep early before I   
formulate any kind of plan for tomorrow.  
I have decided to take the train back to Hunter Base   
this time. Granted, I possess the wherewithal to   
transport myself directly from my vacationing spot   
(shortly out of Kelley Harbor City, very good this time of   
year) back to my home; however, for the purpose of   
nostalgia (and the prolonging of my vacation), I sit in   
car 7B of Velosity Train 930, entering my thoughts into   
this journal record as I chew absentmindedly on a bit of   
peanut that had gotten itself wedged between my teeth.  
I was dressed in plain clothes; while I was on   
vacation, I didn't want to have to be a Reploid, with my   
clunky, heavy armor weighing me down. Instead, I had   
asked Dr. Cain to create skin coverings for me, something   
that would convince people I was nothing more than another   
tourist. So I sit here now in a pair of tan slacks, a   
solid black polo shirt, and a pair of sneakers, drawing a   
pair of thin sunglasses down over my eyes. My long blonde   
hair is drawn into a loose ponytail by a red band, tied in   
the back.  
Hmm...I think the girl in the seat across the aisle   
from mine likes me. The young lady behind me, I can see   
through the reflection in my sunglass lens, is craning her   
neck trying to see what I'm typing. Well, I might as well   
let her see...there's nothing here that concerns her.   
She's scanned past the Maverick Hunters' logo at the top   
of the log screen...and now she's reading my words. Hello   
there, miss...are you reading to find anything in   
particular?  
Ha...I shared a moment of conversation with her after   
she shrank back, somewhat embarrassed after realizing she   
was reading my screen. She said that she wouldn't have   
known me from any other person. "That's comforting," I   
say. "I guess Reploids are beginning to blend in   
easier."  
She says, "You're a Reploid? I thought you were some   
male model or something!" We share a good laugh over   
that, and we discuss what happened just those few months   
ago with Sigma.  
"Are you ever afraid you'll die?" she asks. "Are   
you afraid that nothing may lay beyond death for your   
people?"  
How many times have I asked myself that? Technically,   
I don't suppose we Reploids are born with souls...and if   
one is not born with a soul, how does one go about   
obtaining one?  
Well...we are created things, created by our human   
friends to battle what is too strong for them alone. That   
is our place in life, and I feel that perhaps that part of   
our life is so great...perhaps we don't need a part in   
whatever lies after it.  
But I'm getting too far off my point...where was I? I   
scan back upward to check. Ah yes, I was about to discuss   
X, my true best friend.  
I have not heard from him since my vacation began, and   
all he offered me before I left was a quiet "See ya   
'round, Zero," then he went dashing off back toward the   
hangar, I believe... It's not like him to be so short with   
anyone, especially me.  
Before I left, we had been discussing the departure of   
our girlfriend Iris and Roll, and whether we would lead   
any kind of search to find them. (They had gone out into   
the world to look for a scientist that could do his best   
to destroy the Sigma virus and all its power.) What they   
had set themselves out to do was honorable, but it was a   
cause X and I both thought, at the time, to be something   
of a tall order for just the two of them to accomplish.  
They themselves had been slaves to the Maverick virus   
immediately before, as I had been many years ago. X had   
been possessed by the very entity of Sigma himself just a   
week before they left, and Iris and I had managed to   
exorcise him from X's body. We had all been dealt a cruel   
blow by the virus: Iris and Roll's companion Enker had   
been struck down, as well as Lujon, one of our more recent   
recruits; Netrix and Gilley were both destroyed in an   
attempt to escape from Sigma's secret outpost; our top   
pilot, Argyle, was a Reploid who entered our ranks and was   
later found to be housing a second strain of the Sigma   
virus from the past. In fact, Sigma, at one time, was the   
name of a top-ranking Maverick Hunter. Once he was   
infected by the nameless Maverick virus, it adopted his   
personality and his features, and he turned against his   
Reploid brothers.  
For so long, we, the Maverick Hunters have worked to   
free the Reploid Sigma from the hell that he undergoes   
every day; for whatever a Reploid has that constitutes the   
closest essence of an earnest soul, Sigma has had stolen   
away from him. His very name, face, and the virus's acts   
of cruelty will all be displayed together in any history   
book. In short, when the virus took away Sigma's "soul",   
he doomed the Hunter's name to be scorned forever by   
humans and Reploids who didn't know any better.  
The Maverick virus instills in a Reploid the desire to   
overthrow anyone or anything that gets in its way of   
becoming the dominant race on Earth. The Sigma virus   
convinces the Reploids it infects that they are superior   
to their human creators, and to exterminate the humans   
means to rule the world.  
My friends and I of the Hunters have defeated the   
virus's attempts at superiority five times by banding   
together. I had heard that another, different virus had   
popped up this time, and that was why my leave had been   
cut short. At present, I have no knowledge of much about   
the virus, other than what's been broadcast on the news   
reports: its name. It, like Sigma, has developed its own   
personality after infesting a test Reploid with an   
artificial intelligence-based brain. The new virus calls   
itself "Wraith". The creator is still mysterious to the   
public, as well as the virus's origin.  
The human scientists who are studying, dissecting, and   
investigating the virus as best they can have settled to   
still call its victims Mavericks. The priorities of the   
recipients of the virus are still somewhat similar to   
Sigma: destroy the humans, and if anyone gets in your way,   
destroy them first. All these new Mavericks are still   
subservient to their overlord, but would still kill each   
other to win favor from their master.  
They're still textbook Mavericks, to be sure...and   
perhaps not as far off from the original Mavericks as the   
humans think. Yes, my roots of sigmae mavericus, the   
Sigma virus, ache...I can feel already that there's   
something wrong with this situation, something   
deeper...but then, there always is with Sigma. What bit   
of Sigma still lives within my body and mind is telling me   
that he's not as dead as we thought...  
We knew, of course, that the last time we had   
encountered him he had not been gone for good. As with   
the three times before we had faced him, he hid behind a   
battle body, and escaped, just as easily. He was   
weakened, however...that fact was reassuring. He had used   
up a lot of his energy manipulating so many bodies last   
time we had a scrape--the low-level Reploid body he had   
made for himself, a cheap Reploid imitation of Mega Man,   
X's body, and Argyle's as well, not to mention the   
countless ties he had to drone Mavericks and to his three   
protectors: Pi, Delta, and Epsilon. I would suppose also   
that controlling the cortex of the two different battle   
bodies he had Dr. Wily build for him also had taken a bite   
out of his power supply, especially since he had cut Wily   
off in perfecting the energy distributors of the smaller   
one...  
In any event, I would like to meet with this Wraith   
character. If he is as much like Sigma as I've heard,   
then it could be a friendly chat, at least until he   
figures I'm a threat.  
Heh...I have a call. Rolling up my sleeve to check my   
arm unit, I find it's from Hunter Base. A debriefing   
before I even get back? Oh, Doc Cain, you shouldn't   
have...you really shouldn't have...  
I'll sign off for now. I still have interests brewing   
deeply within my mind as to this new virus's true intents   
and goals, however...I'll let my subconscious stew over   
that while I take this call. Goodbye for now!  
  
- Cmdr. Zero Omega, Unit 0 Maverick Hunters  
Entry logged and posted to the Maverick Hunter Intranet -   
21 April 21XX, 0934 hours  
  
  
"Zero here. What's happening, HQ?"  
"Good to hear your voice again, Zero," came the voice of Crysto, senior   
communications officer.  
"And yours, Crysto," I said, "but it seems like it's been way too soon for   
another attack to pop up like this."  
"I wish we could be calling you back here on better circumstances, my   
friend," he said, "but...que sera, sera, I suppose."  
"Indeed. Well, at least it's not Sigma this time, I hear."  
"No but Wraith is making himself known pretty well. Unlike Sigs, he's   
taken to issuing statements to the press."  
"Interesting...almost as if he wanted the public to know his exact thoughts..."  
I heard a chuckle from the other end. "Zero, don't start forming theories   
about your enemy just yet. You;re not even back at Hunter Base yet."  
"My vacation was over as soon as you guys told me something new was   
happening," I said. "I'm working right now, as far as I'm concerned."  
"Well, don't be surprised if you don't see today on your paycheck, is all I   
have to say," he said with a laugh.  
"Was Dr. Cain planning to give me the briefing now, or wait for me to   
return?"  
"He's waiting," he said. "Supposedly, only a handful of the higher-ranking   
officers are to know the details right now."  
"Ah," I said knowingly. "Cain's afraid more will get out to the humans than   
should."  
"There are reporters that'd tap into communication lines here at base, I'm   
sure," he said. "I'd bet my life on it."  
"Anyway, why the call?"  
"Oh," he said, returning to the original subject, "Dr. Cain has asked me to tell   
you that he wishes to speak with you in private once you return. After that, he   
wants you to get a good night's recharge, then meet with a few of the newbies   
tomorrow morning."  
"I'm beat from the train ride," I said. "I'll have no trouble getting to sleep   
tonight."  
"And also," he said, barely acknowledging my statement, "I have been   
informed that X was allowed to leave for a bit."  
"Good," I said. "Last time I saw him, he has seemed a little tense."  
"He's not on vacation, sir."  
"What do you mean?"  
"He's out looking for your girls, Iris and Roll, sir. I thought you knew."  
"He didn't tell me he was leaving the base! How was I supposed to know   
about this?"  
"Then you didn't..."  
"No, I didn't," I said indignantly. "Why would he have left without telling   
me?"  
"I don't know, sir...maybe he was afraid you'd talk him out of it."  
I bowed my head and took that theory in with silence. "Maybe he wouldn't   
have been wrong about that, Crysto. I certainly wouldn't have approved."  
"...But you wouldn't have stopped him, just the same."  
I sighed. "You're right."  
"...Because you want Iris back too."  
I lowered my head. "Yeah." After a second thought, I was curious of   
something else: "Has Hunter Base been able to make contact with him?"  
"We've been trying, and we've gotten bits of scrambled messages back from   
him...so we at least know he's still alive."  
"Comforting," I muttered.  
"I'll have Dr. Cain informed of your plans," he said, "and I'll make sure to   
see if we can get in touch with X again."  
"Thanks, Crysto," I said. "That helps."  
"Right, Zero. See you a little later."  
"The train should arrive at Velosity Station 3 in about two hours," I said.   
"I'll see you about three hours form now, then."  
"Noted. Crysto out. Enjoy the rest of the ride, Zero."  
"Thank you, Crysto. Zero out." 


	2. Rude Awakening

Chapter Two  
  
I sat back in my comfortable train seat, trying desperately to think straight. I   
had just been told that my best friend had run off to find our absent girlfriends.   
Okay, that wasn't so unbelievable...if I hadn't been so seriously trying to relax, I   
would've done the same thing, probably. I guess, in that aspect, what he had done   
wasn't such a bad thing. But without telling me? It made me think. Why would he   
have run off to go find Iris and Roll without my knowing?  
The girl from before tapped me on the shoulder, from her seat behind me. "I   
couldn't help overhearing," she said. "This 'X'...he's a friend of yours?"  
I nodded. "Here, no need for us both to strain our necks," I said, patting the   
empty seat next to me. "Sit down over here."  
She did, pulling her purse along with her. She took my hand, shaking it and   
introducing herself. "The name's Rychel. Rychel Corey."  
"Zero Omega," I said, smiling. "Pleased to meet you."  
"So this X..."  
"He's been like a brother to me ever since we both joined up with the   
Maverick Hunters."  
"You're a Maverick Hunter? Oh, geez..." she said. "I never expected you to   
be the warrior type..."  
"I still never expect myself to be the warrior type," I said, rubbing a temple   
absentmindedly.  
"So what's the situation with your friend?" she asked.  
"He's, uh, gone off to look for some friends of ours...named Iris and Roll."  
"I heard," she said. "Your girlfriends."  
I smiled. "Right."  
"Are they...really wonderful?"  
"Oh, you can't imagine," I said, staring off dreamily. "Every time you look   
at Iris in the right light, I swear it seems like angel feathers are blowing in the air   
around her head. She's absolutely gorgeous."  
"Is she a Hunter too?"  
"She was," I said, "but she and her sister Roll decided to take off, to go look   
for someone who could cure the world of the Sigma virus."  
"Yeah, I remember hearing about that virus...again..." she said. "Did a   
number on a few of our terminals at work."  
"That's just the residual," I said. "Be glad your computers didn't try   
attacking you."  
"Yeah...I guess we were lucky."  
"How many times have you fought it now?"  
"Five, at my last counting."  
"And...he's escaped each time?"  
I nodded, closing my eyes gently. "Yes. He always managed to slip through   
our fingers, no matter how much of his energy we drain away. He always has that   
last little bit he needs to get away."  
"Do you know where he is now?"  
"If we did, you'd think we'd be pounding away at him with our weapons   
right now."  
"Oh, right...well, at least he's not the problem this time."  
"I'm still not entirely convinced of that."  
"What do you mean?"  
I inhaled deeply. I knew how most humans would be inclined to react when I   
told them what I was about to tell her. She seemed understanding, though...and she   
seemed to genuinely care about my situation.  
"I was a Maverick, at one time."  
She digested that with a fair widening of her eyes, then nodded. "Okay.   
You're good now, though, right?"  
I nodded. "I was healed of the virus a long time ago. There's still some root   
of it left in me somewhere, though...it gives me something of a sixth sense about   
Sigma sometimes. In some odd way, I'm still connected to him, but I don't have to   
follow his rules."  
"And this...Maverick root...is telling you that he may still be alive, causing all   
this in some abstract way?"  
"Something like that," I said. "It's just a hunch."  
There was a pause, and then she looked back up at me with the most innocent   
look I have ever seen on a 22-year-old human's face. "What does it feel like, being   
a Reploid? Knowing you have the ability to crush half the U.S. Army and get away   
with it, but still having a conscience?"  
It was a question that hit me hard. I had never thought to directly ask it of   
myself...I had thought it countless times after my slavery to Sigma had ended. It   
made me question whether we were, in fact, the superior race or not. In every sense   
of the word, we were better than humans. We could run faster, we were stronger,   
more agile, more efficient, more dexterous, and certainly more attractive, though   
that made hardly a penny's worth of difference. Perhaps we were better than the   
humans...but then, why did we seek to shelter them so frequently from our enemies?   
Our enemies had become enemies to Reploids because of our allegiance to the   
humans. Before, we had been at peace with ourselves. The humans had dragged us   
into this whole thing to begin with...  
No, Zero, I scolded myself. That's the Maverick talking. Reploids should   
protect the humans in appreciation and gratitude for creating them in the first   
place. I could understand that, though it would've helped for me to know exactly   
who my creator was. Maybe then I could've seen the point a tad more clearly.  
"It's complicated, Rychel," I said. "We were built to introduce a new   
generation of life to the planet. Once we were born, however, it was revealed to us   
somewhat painfully that maybe Earth just wasn't ready for a new race to settle   
down just yet."  
"You think we didn't want Reploids because of their free will?"  
I nodded. "I think many humans were startled by the fact that there was a   
new race of beings that were ten times as strong and fast as they were just walking   
around like they were ordinary people...and as you proved to me a moment ago,   
with the right clothes, it can be easily done."  
She smiled and nodded. "Maybe you're right...but humans have grown to   
coexist with Reploids peacefully..."  
"Save for Mavericks and the now-defunct Repliforce," I said. "I remember   
when we had to deal with them. It pains me to think that so many soldiers had put   
their entire lives into working for that army, too..."  
"It makes you wonder if you've mattered as a Maverick Hunter," she said.   
That point hit home.  
"Yeah," I said. "That's exactly right."  
"Well, you do matter," she said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Believe   
you me, if it was just the armies of the world up against Sigma, we'd be done for."  
I put a hand on her arm. "Thanks. That means a lot."  
"You're welcome," she said. "Just keep doing your job." She returned to her   
seat, and I smiled and turned my head back to the front. "That makes me feel   
better," I murmured, shutting my eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
I had slept for about forty-five minutes when I felt some peculiar rumbling   
from the front of the car. I shook off my sleepy air and opened my eyes. Everyone   
in the car seemed calm enough...conversations continued, everyone stayed mostly   
quiet.  
I turned back to Rychel. "Did you feel that?"  
"Feel what, Zero? What are you talking about?"  
"The train...it rumbled, just then..."  
"I didn't notice. What do you think it is?"  
"I don't know...trains this advanced aren't supposed to rumble like that   
normally..."  
"Maybe you should check with the conductor."  
"Maybe I should," I said, easing out of my seat and into the aisle. Walking   
up to the door leading out to the next car, I opened it and stepped through. There   
were still two cars up before I got to the conductor. I passed through the other   
cabins without a problem, until I got to the front passenger cabin. When I reached   
to open the door that entered into the front of the train, the rumbling came again--  
though this time, it seemed to be multiplied a hundred times. My legs gave way   
slightly, and I fell to a knee. Getting back up, I slapped a hand on the latch of the   
door and opened it.   
Entering the conductor's cabin, I found what had been causing the rumbling.   
A huge robot--comprised of metal junk and slag, it seemed--had decided to go for a   
jog beside the tracks, and it slapped at them every now and then. It had, apparently,   
shoved one or two of its fingers through the windshield of the train as well. Two or   
three overlapping holes served to originate my guess. My first Maverick sighting, I   
thought. Not even back at base yet.  
I looked to the floor. The conductor lay in a thin pool of blood, gripping his   
chest rigidly, and not moving an inch. I put a hand to his throat. No pulse. Damn.   
Too late.  
All right, all right... I thought, order of business here...talk to the passengers,   
stop the train, and then...then I gotta take out this Maverick.  
I turned on the train's public-address system and spoke clearly into the wall-  
mounted microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, do not be alarmed. We have a   
situation. There is a Maverick ahead of us. I'm going to stop the train, and then I'll   
go take him out. Don't worry, I'm a Maverick Hunter. I can handle him. Just be   
aware that I have the situation under control."  
I grabbed the red-labeled "Emergency Brake" lever and pulled back on it   
fiercely. Outside, I could hear the reassuring sound of the train slowing itself down,   
courtesy of the electromagnets that propelled it. Well, the easy part's over with, I   
thought. Now for the robot.  
I drew my Z-Saber from my pants pocket. "Always keep you around, just in   
case, old friend." I touched the pommel to my nose. "I wish I would not have had   
any use for you before I got back to the base, though."  
I heaved a sigh. "I may not be able to do this on my own. I'm rusty with   
you, my trusty friend." I'd better be able to do this myself, I thought, scolding   
myself in the next instant. I can overpower this thing...I did it last time we dealt   
with Mavericks.  
I nodded to myself and sliced at the ceiling. Cutting three sides of a square in   
the metal, I bent the rest back so I could hop out onto the top of the train. As my   
feet touched the top surface, I felt the train lurch slightly. It had finally stopped.  
I popped the saber back into my pocket, pulling up another bundle of my   
blonde locks behind my head. I used the loose ends of the band to tighten this hair   
into a more compact form, securing it there to keep it from being a burden.  
I reached back into the deep pocket for my saber, found it, and flipped it up,   
catching it in my other hand. I tapped the single button on its hilt, and the pale   
green streak of light that was the saber's blade shot out and surrounded my direct   
vicinity with a gentle green glow.  
I looked around. The streetlights were placed a little too far apart, it seemed--  
light gathered in patches everywhere, but there was no real gathering of   
illumination. The giant Maverick's head loomed before me, his hands scraping   
along the tracks. He had obviously become amused by the fact that I had stopped   
the train and had come outside to deal with him.  
I jumped down from the train, landing ten yards or so from the nearest claw   
of the hulking mass of metal. The light traced out what face he had in half light and   
half shadow. A muted nose came as a halfhearted extension of the face, and two   
red eyes glowed angrily under a solid jet-black visor. He reared his head toward me   
and the eyes flashed beneath the visor. He was ready for me.  
I twirled the saber once in my hand, put my weight on my back leg. If he   
was ready, I was ready. "Bring it on," I said menacingly.  
A claw swiped down to return my challenge. Shredding the track in front of   
me as it raked its way downward, I managed a cut or three at its arm. I saw definite   
evidence of damage...I didn't see him using that kind of attack on me again anytime   
soon.  
He made a noise of absolute rage and followed the first arm with his other,   
swinging it down twice as fast. I dashed backward as it fell, keeping an eye on it.   
Wait for it...I told myself. Don't rush it...  
As his arm came crashing down onto the next section of track, I dashed   
forward quickly and sliced my saber out to the side. Turning that side toward the   
Maverick, I lifted the blade up and through the motion, finishing the "Shippuuga"   
move I had learned a few years ago from a Maverick named Slash Beast. The giant   
drew his hand back quickly after I struck it--he came away with more a of a tangled   
mesh of wires and electrodes than an arm.  
Me one, you zero, Maverick, I thought. Swing that other arm around here   
and let's try this dance again.  
I heard a peculiar scraping noise from behind me, and saw the train begin to   
move off the track. Apparently, the Maverick's pummeling of the track had led to   
the train jumping the main shaft of the track, and, if the giant continued, it looked   
as if he'd shake the train right off the tracks completely. Not only were there   
hundreds of people in that train, but there was a metropolis of traffic and   
pedestrians below...What to do, Zero? Tick-tock, tick-tock. It's only a matter of   
time before the car is off the rail, and its weight would be enough to drag the rest   
behind it...  
"Okay, change of plans," I said. "Gotta get those passengers off the train,   
first of all."  
But you've got to do something about the Maverick first, or you're a sitting   
duck! I thought. Too many problems at once...not good.  
I approached the Maverick again, dash-jumping to the other side of the   
broken tracks. He swiped at me while I was in the air, but missed. I saw a small   
metal box up ahead, probably a generator or energy distributor...I had an idea.  
I lured him over my way, dashing to keep a healthy gap between us. He   
plowed through more of the track, clumsily breaking off chunks of the stuff as he   
went. I watched it fall to the ground below. Fortunately, everyone down there was   
watching our little skirmish, so they were smart enough to move their butts before a   
chunk landed on them.  
Cutting my dash jets when I came within ten feet of the box, I ran my fastest,   
taking a glance behind me at the approaching hulk. He assumed a cold glare and   
continued advancing. Turning my head back around, I saw I was three feet from   
the box. Dash-jumping from my position to the box, I coiled my legs under me and   
landed on the box's side, pushing off of it with a powerful jump. I backflipped in   
midair and brought my saber up.   
Using my dash-jets to make me double-jump, I continued my spin in the air   
as I raked the end of my saber into the Maverick's head, slicing all the way through   
to the chest cavity. Once there, I looked around quickly. Finding his main battery   
driver, I walked up by it and gripped my saber firmly. Leaping up into the air, I   
kept my head tilted straight up as my saber emitted bursts of flame and ate through   
the outer housing of the battery. At the apex of my jump, I grinned. The second   
time around is always more fun, I thought as I turned the saber around and watched   
a large jagged icicle form around the green blade. Falling with it, I raked the edges   
of the icy dagger into the battery's core. As I fell to the casing inside his chest   
again, I crouched and leapt up out of the dying Maverick's cranium, landing safely   
on the track in front of him. He fell slowly, taking a few more chunks of the rail   
with him, and collapsing into a heap on the streets below.  
I smiled to myself. That went well. Looking back over at the train, car,   
however...not so well. The car had dislodged itself from whatever little bit of center   
rail had still been holding it on the tracks, causing it to slip further off. The only   
thing that held it back from falling into oblivion was one of the cables from the rail   
that had pulled itself away, somehow. It held one of the rear slipstream wings of   
the car, and the rest hung off into space.  
I frowned in disappointment and prayed silently. "I know I'm strong, but I'm   
not nearly strong enough to lift that car back onto the tracks." I chastened myself. If   
you'd've called the Hunters when this whole fracas started, you could've had a few   
dropships to tow the car back onto the tracks, Zero! What can you do now?  
I knew. I knew what I could do...absolutely nothing, other than to evacuate   
the streets and buildings below. I knew that cable was coming loose soon whether I   
liked it or not...  
And then an interesting noise flitted to my earlobes, perhaps a variation of   
Protoman's whistle...In any event, I turned my head toward the noise. Below me, a   
figure in black armor raised an arm to the sky and shot off a grappling hook. It   
lodged in a niche on the tracks, and I walked over to it. I had seen a long ponytail   
hanging out the back, much like mine, but brown...I smiled absentmindedly, and   
then kneeled down to where the hook had stuck.  
The figure came rushing up past me, over my head, and landed on the track   
behind me, sweeping his cape around gracefully, as in introduction.  
"And you are...?" I asked.  
"Never mind that right now. Let's just get over to that train car."  
"Right." After I had noticed the voice, I had figured out it was a female, not a   
male, and most certainly a Reploid. Yes, now that she drew her cape away, I saw   
her armor.  
I rushed over with her to the car. She led me around to the other side.   
Extending an arm, she said: "Take a look down there."  
I raised an eyebrow at her, but looked anyway. Below, another figure, this   
one in tones of grey, had commandeered a crane of some description and was   
easing an electromagnet our way.  
"Nice," I said. "You do this often?"  
She ignored it. "We have to set the magnet," she said. "Just make sure to be   
away from it when it starts hoisting the train."  
"I wasn't sure about that," I said. "You know, I figure I might have an   
opposite charge or something."  
She looked at me. Her face was hidden behind a dark black visor, but her   
eyes were somewhat visible. She gave me a disinterested look and turned her eyes   
back on the crane. She hopped onto the top of the crane, and I took a spot atop the   
train car. As I landed, I felt the car lurch underneath me. Not good...I told myself.   
This is not good...  
"We've gotta hurry this up!" I yelled to her. "The train's slipping!"  
She gave me a thumbs-up and yelled to her friend at the crane's controls to   
hoist the magnet above the track. With careful instructions, the magnet was soon   
atop the train.  
"All right!" I said. "On my count, turn on the magnet!"  
Another thumbs-up. "Right!"  
"3...2..."  
And then, the train slipped two feet further. I could see the sections of cable   
that held the wing already frayed, beginning to tighten further and break. I regained   
my balance and my footing, and checked the magnet's position. Still on top of the   
train. Good.  
"All right, we'll try this again...3..."  
The car slipped another yard, the cable now down to a thread or two of wire.   
I cursed to myself. I had to get this thing hoisted now.  
"One more time. 3...2...1...Now!" I yelled to her.  
I heard the hum of the magnet as it turned on. I jumped away from the car at   
the last second to avoid being caught by the magnetic pull, and landed back on the   
tracks, about ten feet away from the car. I saw the cable fray even further and then   
finally break, and the crane lost hold of the car for one split second. I thought I had   
lost it for sure, when a cable shot from the other direction, wrapping itself around   
the wing-foil. My black-garbed friend had tried to keep the car up with one last   
resort. And I have to do what I can to help, I thought, racing over to the crane and   
hopping behind the girl. Gripping her hands in mine, I pulled with her at the car   
while her friend repositioned the magnet. My feet had begun to make a dent in the   
metal from the pressure exerted on it by my body. My hands began losing grip...I   
grabbed again, but didn't get a much better hold. My hand slipped again, and the   
girl lurched forward a tad. The train car began to teeter off the edge...I grabbed her   
around the waist before she could go much further. Drawing her back to our   
original position, I got my hold again on her hands, and pulled as hard as I could.   
The train came back up about a centimeter and stayed put.  
The magnet moved back over the train's length and turned on, clamping   
down on it. The girl in black began giving instructions to the other, telling her how   
to reposition the train on the tracks.  
Finally, it was over. The train was firmly planted back in its track, and my   
friend and I both breathed a hefty sigh of relief.  
Still standing atop the crane, I tried to make conversation. "Nice work. I   
probably wouldn't have thought of that."  
"It wasn't much more than a last resort," she said. "If the train had gone   
down while my hook was around it, I might not have made it back up myself."  
"I see," I said. "So, why the mask? Are you afraid of anyone knowing your   
identity?"  
"Not really. I like the way it looks, and I wanted to surprise someone. He   
hasn't seen me for a while now."  
"So are you new at this rescue-hero stuff?"  
"Kind of. We've been at it for a few months now, my friend and I."  
"You a new Maverick Hunter?" I asked as I shook her gloved hand.  
"No," she said. "Just kind of a freelance Maverick fighter for now."  
"Do you and your friend have names?"  
"I'd rather not tell you. You're quite obviously a Maverick Hunter, and I   
wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for my friend."  
"The one you haven't seen for a while?"  
She nodded.  
"Hey, maybe I know him. What's his name?"  
She shook her head. "You're not getting that out of me either," she said.  
"Could you tell me...maybe an alias I could call you? If ever I need to use a   
name, it would help."  
"You can call me Ebony."  
"And your friend?"  
"Sable."  
"Fitting. That works for me."  
"Thanks for the help," she said curtly.  
"You're most certainly welcome," I said.  
"See you around," she said, firing another grappling hook off into the   
starlight. She swung off and out of sight. When I looked back into the driver's seat   
of the crane, her friend had taken off too.  
"Well, don't just leave or anything," I said indignantly. Speaking into my   
communicator, I radioed Crysto at Hunter Base. "Crysto, it's Zero. Expect me   
back at base in ten minutes."  
"What happened to the train ride, sir?"  
"There was an accident."  
"Casualties?"  
"One. The conductor."  
"Right. I'll have Dr. Cain waiting for you."  
"Thanks, Crysto. Zero out."  
I made my way back into the train car and to my cabin. Finding Rychel   
there, I made no effort to discourage her from locking me in a tight hug, one of   
absolute, utter relief. 


	3. Welcome Home Zero

Chapter Three  
  
I arrived at the base a few minutes later, finding Doc Cain, Crysto, and   
Skyler all waiting for me.  
"We heard you were involved in a little scrape with a giant Maverick," Cain   
greeted me.  
"Indeed I was. Good to see you too, sir," I said, smiling only after he did.  
"Wraith has already taken control of several auxiliary power plants around   
the city," Skyler said. "He's trying his best to drain the entire city of energy."  
"Thankfully, for now the generators are holding out. He hasn't been able to   
hack the systems himself just yet."  
"That's good," I said. "We've got time, then?"  
"We've got time...but not an extraordinary amount. Wraith has positioned   
eight Mavericks at each of the eight control stations for the power plant within the   
city."  
"And we need to eliminate each one, just like always," I said. "Correct?"  
"Absolutely correct, Zero," said Skyler. "We need to do this and train the   
newbies at the same time."  
"So, we've decided put a number of newbies in with the teams that go to   
each station."  
"How many newbies, per squad, are we talking here?" I asked.  
"We've had an enlist of about thirty new Hunters," Skyler said.  
"That doesn't answer my question, Skyler. How many are we going to have   
to stick into each team?"  
"Probably about four or five in each team," Cain answered for him.  
"Have you assigned any to Unit 0 yet?"  
"No. We were waiting for you to get back before okayed anything."  
"Wise of you," I said, smiling. "Are we allowed to choose our team?"  
"You are," he said. "And since you had that scrape with Sigma last time,   
and were prominent in destroying his battle body, we were going to let you choose   
first."  
"Thank you, sir. I'll do a little field-training with the newbies tomorrow   
morning."  
"And there's something else you want to talk about, I'm sure," he said,   
drawing an "X" in the air with his index finger.  
I nodded. "Indeed I do, sir. Let's move into your lab, if you don't mind."  
"Certainly not, Zero," he said, leading me into his lab-office. "Now, what   
exactly is it you want to know?"  
"Sir, I can't believe you let X go out of the base by himself when you knew   
that there was a new virus on the loose!"  
"He pleaded with me, Zero. I'm not so sure you wouldn't've done the same   
thing."  
I took a pause. "Sir, I've been through this discussion already with myself. I   
know I probably would've done the same thing X did, but I also might've been   
more inclined to take him along with me."  
"You do both work very well together," Cain acknowledged. "It would have   
been a better idea."  
"It makes me nervous that X didn't think to take me. It makes me think   
he...that he's beginning to lose his trust in me because of the immunity I show to   
the Sigma virus."  
"Zero, if you showed any sign that you shouldn't be trusted, the Hunters   
would be the first to do something about it, believe you me."  
"I know that, sir...it's just that X is my best friend...closer than that,   
even...and when it seems like he's lost his trust in me before anyone else..."  
"It makes you wonder whether your friend knows you as well as you think he   
does," he finished for me.  
I held my head in my hands. "Yes."  
"Zero, this is just a misunderstanding between you two. I'm sure there's   
some other reason why X wanted to go alone."  
"But why wouldn't he tell me?"  
"Because maybe he didn't want to involve you. Maybe he just didn't want to   
upset your vacation."  
"But he knows I would've gone with him in a half-second, Doc!"  
"...Then maybe it was for that reason that he chose not to tell you. Maybe he   
just wanted you to enjoy your vacation."  
I lowered my head. "Maybe..."  
"Listen, all I want you to do for tonight is to get a good battery recharge, and   
then wake up tomorrow, rested, refreshed, and ready to pick out your unit's   
newbies. Clear?"  
"Clear, sir."  
"Zero..." he said as I walked off, somewhat slump-shouldered.  
"Yes sir?"  
"Don't stress over this. It was just a simple misunderstanding."  
All I offered back to him was a short grunt, then turned back with a sigh to   
head toward my room.  
  
* * *  
  
I lay restlessly awake in my bed, tossing and turning, and not making any   
progress in relaxing myself. Dammit, I thought, why did my vacation have to end   
so early? I really needed more time than this.  
And what of X's decision to leave without me? Had it seriously been as   
innocent as Doc Cain had suggested, or had X had a deeper motivation to not tell   
me about his trip?  
I mulled it over in my mind for hours, never finding any answer. If I had just   
not been a Maverick in the first place...none of this would be such a problem for   
me.  
And that was mostly true, I knew. I was still more aggressive than X, when   
it came right down to it (he was of a Hunter rank two degrees below my own), but   
he was more powerful by far. If he were ever to attack me full-force with no   
holding back, he'd certainly walk away, not me.  
Somehow, I was able to go to sleep, amidst all the questions running about in   
my mind. It made me feel hurt if X was unable to trust me...my very dearest friend,   
X...  
The figure leered over me, a silhouette in the doorway of some unknown lab.   
His arms outstretched in a victorious pose, he laughed a hearty cackle and raised   
one arm. My capsule's glass snapped up, and I stepped out, holding my head, as if   
I had just awoke from a three-day nap.  
"Get up..." the figure ordered. His hair, what of it still grew, was brushed   
into two tufts which sat on the sides of his otherwise-bald head. His mustache and   
his great white lab coat were his only distinguishable features to me through the   
bright light behind him.  
I found I could not control my own mouth, nor my own limbs. My mind,   
however, was alive and well... "Who are you?" I said as I rose from the capsule I   
lay in.  
"My masterpiece..." the voice rasped.  
"Who--who are you?" I asked again, this time somewhat uncertain.  
"You are my greatest work. Fighting against him is what gives me   
motivation in life. Now go! Destroy him! That's an order!" he barked.  
"Wha--Wait!" I pleaded. I felt...so alone... Who exactly was it he wanted me   
to destroy...?  
And then came an insufferable and painful buzzing at my temples, a noise so   
silent, it cut into the very depths of my mind...  
Images flashed before my eyes, barely recognizable...  
A diagnostics screen, with what looked like my wireframe on it...  
The Reploid Sigma, screaming. Whether in pain or terror, I had no idea...  
Corpses of countless Reploids, slashed and gouged to death...  
And then I looked at my hands in a somewhat longer vision...they were   
covered with blood!...  
  
I awoke from the grisly dream that had plagued me for years, bringing my   
hands into my view quickly, again making certain it had only been a dream. I had   
done it hundreds of times before...the dream had started coming less and less, but   
other feelings that had not been there before now bled past the dream. I had nearly   
forgotten about it this time...  
...Perhaps...SOMEONE...had made the dream reappear, forcing me to   
remember what I had done...  
It was a perfect time for someone to strike at my emotions...that someone   
being none other than Sigma, I thought...  
"So what do you want me to remember with this dream, Sigma?" I asked   
myself, rubbing my head, and wiping the sweat from my forehead with a towel in   
my quarters. "What part of my past are you trying to impose on me now?"  
And from within me, through a kind of speech that could not be   
distinguished to me in any scientific way, Sigma (or rather, what of Sigma was   
inside me) spoke to me: I have always been eager for you to learn the truth about   
your past, Zero.  
"That's bull, Sigma. The only reason you want to know anything about my   
past is because you think you can turn me back to your side with that knowledge."  
Oh, bravo, my friend. Very astute of you, I must say. Yes, I do indeed think   
that your past could well influence your future.  
"I know something from my past is destined to affect my future," I said. "As   
little as I know about my past, something will most assuredly return from it   
eventually to alter my future. What it will be or how it will affect the order of   
events that happen after it are impossible to say."  
For you, perhaps. I can guess how it will affect you, my dear Zero.  
"And--let me guess--you see me as coming over to your side and helping you   
take over the Earth with the Maverick race, n'est pas?"  
In a nutshell. Rather, that you would become one of my highest-ranking   
officers in the grand Maverick army of the future.  
"I wouldn't send out your enlistment paperwork just yet," I said. "I think   
you've got a ways to go before you get any upper hand on the Hunters. You're   
even weaker now than when you attacked us last, Sigma," I pointed out.  
Oh, am I? he asked with a sense of absolute calm. We'll see about that.  
"Are you suggesting that we may have to deal with you again before this   
skirmish with Wraith is over?"  
Perhaps I'm saying that...perhaps not. I'd just warn you and say perhaps   
I'm not as easy to destroy as I may seem.  
"You've proven that 5 times," I said. "You're a great escape artist, if nothing   
else."  
Better than Houdini ever could have hoped.  
"And modest too."  
I see you're getting irritable. I'll submit to your own processes again. You   
always were a good conversational partner, when you weren't slashing away at   
me.  
"If this war hadn't've separated us, Sigma, I think we could have been good   
friends, actually..."  
But your Reploid half was never able to formally meet the real Sigma, he   
said. And you shall never meet him now, I fear.  
"There's hope yet for the Maverick race," I said. "You wait. Perhaps   
someday you'll see the light again, Sigma."  
And perhaps you will see the light again as well, Zero. I will go now.  
And with that, his consciousness disappeared once again into my own, with a   
sigh and a verbal nod of admitted frustration.  
Remembering what Sigma and I had said to each other, I had formulated   
another idea of my own: "If this war hadn't've separated us, I think we could have   
been good friends..."  
I smiled to myself. I'd deal with it tomorrow morning.  
  
* * *  
  
I awoke the next morning, refreshed and feeling much better than I had the   
previous night. Stretching my limbs thoroughly, I yawned absentmindedly and   
strode over to a mirror. My hair stuck out at nearly- unmanageable angles. I smiled   
in spite of my bed-head. I had something to ask Dr. Cain about...something that   
could prove to be very, very interesting, if it turned out like I thought it would...  
I walked to a table aside of my sleep capsule, picked up a brush from it, and   
began undoing what one night of sleeping had done to my long blonde locks. After   
perhaps thirty strokes or so, I felt my hair looked straight enough to be seen, as long   
as I kept it in a ponytail. Wrapping the red band I had used before around a tuft of   
hair, I tightened it and tied a knot, setting my ponytail. Nodding at my reflection in   
the mirror, I smacked the end of my Z-Saber, sitting on my nightstand, and flipped   
it up and into my hand. I placed it on my belt loop; I still hadn't bothered to change   
into my armor since I had returned from the train. I liked the normal   
clothes...perhaps more so than my armor, and for me, that was strange. I was   
probably the Hunter who was most comfortable in his armor, and yet...somehow,   
this little ensemble of black and tan seemed to suit me. Maybe I was getting soft.  
Anyway, I strolled out into the hall beyond the door of my quarters, finding   
my way immediately to the commissary and a cup of black coffee. The extra   
caffeine, while unnecessary for a Reploid's nervous system, did enough to wake me   
up and keep me on edge. As I glanced around the room, I felt like a few people   
were casting glances at me, like I didn't belong, perhaps...  
Presently, Chakra strode up to me and greeted me warmly. "Hello there," he   
said, with a somewhat puzzled tone. "May I ask your name and your business here   
at Hunter Base?"  
I smiled. He didn't recognize me without my armor, I realized. I'd have   
some fun with him. "My name is David Giles, Mr. Reploid, and Dr. Cain asked me   
here to the base for an exclusive interview for the local paper concerning his   
thoughts on the new Wraith virus."  
"Really?" he asked. "That's funny, I don't remember him saying anything   
about having anyone meeting with him today..."  
"It was kind of a last-minute thing," I said. "But inquiring minds want to   
know, and Cain is something of a quiet man."  
"Indeed I am," came the old man's voice from across the room. He walked   
over, smiling to himself. As he approached, Chakra began speaking animatedly:  
"Sir, this Mr. Giles says he's here to see you on a matter of the press. He   
said you scheduled an appointment yourself."  
He and I both tried our best to hold back our laughter, but I cracked first,   
then he joined.  
"What? What's the meaning of this?" Chakra asked, completely lost.  
"The disguise worked rather well," Cain remarked as he and I began to   
recover. "Even your own unit member didn't recognize you."  
"Sir?" Chakra asked hesitantly. "Who is this man?"  
"Please tell me you're not that dense, Chakra. I'm just glad you finally got to   
live out some of that vacation time I owed you."  
His face lit up with realization. "Zero?"  
"Very good, Chakra," I said, hugging him. "Got it on the first guess, too!"  
"Sir, you look exactly like any human! I'm impressed!"  
"Tell him that," I said, motioning to Dr. Cain. "He made the disguise."  
"Without the armor, you definitely look out of character, sir," he said.  
"Is that necessarily a bad thing, for once?" I asked.  
"I wasn't sure you ever washed that armor, sir," he joked with a smile.  
"Very funny," I shot back. "Any luck with finding a new troop of tech   
engineers?"  
"Just one really promising one," he said. "And he's about as good at fighting   
as he is at computers. You should consider him for your unit's attack, Zero."  
"Maybe I should. Does he have a name?"  
"His name's Hale, sir. He's almost a dead ringer for another of our   
engineers, that one guy--can't ever remember his name--"  
"You mean Douglas?"  
"That's it!" he recalled suddenly. "Douglas...right... Hale looks like a   
smaller-scale version of him, only with yellow armor. And he packs a mean energy   
gauntlet, too."  
"Oooh!" I said in excitement. "Those are new...I've been meaning to train   
with one."  
"We've got a couple of recruits in with force staves, too," he declared   
offhand. "Those are pretty new to the Hunters, too."  
"Just a glaive with a Z-Saber attached to it," I said. "For those who need the   
extra distance. I'm definitely a close-quarters fighter, Chakra. That's why the   
gauntlet and my dear saber appeal to me so much more than the arm cannon. That   
weapon's been done and redone."  
"I daresay, sir, Hale may be as good with his gauntlet as you with your   
saber."  
"For such a claim, Chakra, he'd better be good," I said in a playfully stern   
tone. "I'll train for awhile with him personally."  
"And we've got a veritable plethora of energy-saber users," he said, noting   
his clipboard, no doubt holding important information on each of the recruits he had   
in mind for Zero Unit. "About fifteen...that's about half...have signed up with the   
saber as their main weapon. I suppose they're gaining popularity, sir."  
"Any promising finds there?"  
"There is one, sir...but he's rather--shall we say--disagreeable..."  
"His name?"  
"Drex, sir. He has absolutely no respect for authority, and thinks nothing of   
insubordination. However, when we took the newbies out for training the other   
day, he did a masterful job of showing off his skills with his blade...he's something   
to look into, sir."  
"Indeed. It sounds like there's something bothering the kid outside of the   
Hunters. I'll be able to find out what without a problem, I'm sure; I have access to   
all his personal and confidential records."  
"On to cannons: two of the recruits stuck out in my mind, and they seem like   
A-1 Zero Unit material. Their names are Kyte and Chrysalis. She prefers 'Chrys',   
to her friends. Kyte has a standard arm cannon..."  
"A solid weapon to begin with," I remarked. "Go on."  
"...And Chrys uses a pair of palm-mounted cannons, like Iris did."  
I nodded. "I'll review these four myself," I said. "They may well be the   
assets we need for this operation. Until you find a time that's written in stone on   
when we have to train, I'll be around the base. Contact me when you find   
something out."  
"Will do, sir," he said with a friendly goodbye. "Be expecting a call."  
  
* * *  
  
"Doctor!" I greeted Cain as I entered the office. "I have something I meant to   
mention to you earlier..."  
"Yes, Zero? What is it?" he asked, his form blocked by a stack of boxes and   
electronics paraphernalia.  
"I...spoke with my Sigma virus's root last night...and I realized something   
that I should have thought of a lot sooner."  
"And that is...?"  
"That Sigma and I could have been great friends, if not for his infection by   
the Maverick virus."  
I walked around the boxes and saw him working on a cleaning robot, laid out   
on a table. He wiped his hands with a towel, and shook his head. "And what do   
you propose I do about that?"  
"You still have Sigma's Hunter records on file, don't you?" I asked.  
"As far as I know," he said. "We do a good job of keeping records up here at   
the base. We've got at least three copies of everything: one hard copy, one   
computer copy, and one copy on the Hunter Intranet."  
"So...if you were to look up Sigma's blueprints and tech specs, could you--  
theoretically--rebuild him?"  
"I could rebuild his body, of course," he said. "But his personality...that was   
what made him Sigma."  
"I can help you there," I said. "How about this: if you were to make a copy   
of my Maverick root onto a computerized workspace, could you delete the virus   
half of it and then implant the rest into the Reploid body you built?"  
He paused, rubbed his chin in thought. "It could be done, theoretically...but   
I'd have to make sure I got every last scrap of the Maverick out of the root without   
damaging Sigma's personality archives."  
"Sir, if you'd do this for me...I'd take along as many of the newbies as you   
needed."  
He sighed dramatically, pausing for a moment. "Before I even begin to do   
work on this project, Zero, I need to you to promise me something."  
"Yes sir?"  
"If, in the course of Sigma's work with your unit, he shows ANY strange   
characteristics or anything resembling Maverick behavior, bring him back here so I   
can figure out what went wrong, if anything. He's a good Hunter, but extremely   
risky to bring back. You must agree to this if I am to even begin work on the   
Sigma project."  
"I agree, sir," I said. "I will bring him in if he shows any strange signs. I   
don't want another situation to arise like Sigma's possession of X last time we   
fought him."  
"Then I will agree to work on this for you, Zero...as a favor. I think you've   
done the Hunters enough favors to make up for this."  
"Thank you, sir," I said. "I promise you won't regret this!"  
And I left the lab, with a smile plastered across my eager face. "You will live   
again, Sigma," I said, touching my chest with the palm of my hand. "Mark my   
words." 


	4. New Acquaintances

Chapter Four  
  
I walked through the sliding door back out into the corridor beyond, nearly   
running a newbie over. "Whoa!" I yelled. "Sorry, didn't see you there...your   
name?"  
He raised his head, his eyes masked slightly behind a black visor. He   
smirked and said, "Drex. And you...you must be Zero, one of the most famous   
Hunters here, right?"  
He's the kid Chakra warned me about, I thought. I'll try to be nice to begin   
with, I decided. "I don't know about famous," I said, extending a hand warmly,   
"but my name is Zero."  
He took a look at my hand, and ignored it. "Useless formalities. Sir, I   
should inform you right now, I suppose, that I am only here in this group of   
Maverick fighters to do exactly that: fight Mavericks. Nothing more, nothing less.   
That means I want nothing to do with anyone here, and I sure as hell don't want to   
make any friends. I want to be praised based on my performance, not my   
friendship with someone, or how I was a hero to some civilian, all right?"  
"I understand where you're coming from," I said, trying to find some   
common thing that could start this acquaintance on a lighter note. "When I first   
was inducted into the Hunters, believe you me, it wasn't easy making friends for   
me. You've read my files, I assume?"  
He nodded.  
"Then I assume you know about my past history as a Maverick," I said.   
"Once I was cured of the virus, I didn't want to have anything to do with anyone   
either...I was afraid the virus might somehow regrow and cause me to slaughter any   
friend I made, too."  
"But you're good friends with Unit 17's commander, Mega Man X," he said.  
I nodded. "I am, though I'm not entirely sure where my friend is right   
now..."  
"It's not like me anyway. It's not that I was a Maverick or anything, sir, it's   
just that I don't enjoy forming emotional attachments to others."  
"Then why weren't you born a service droid and not a Reploid?" I asked.   
"You had a purpose when you were built to go into the world and be as close to   
human as a non-organic being can possibly be. I have a feeling your creator,   
whoever it was, didn't spend a butt-load of money on an emotions chip for you to   
waste it."  
He sulked, shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't ask to be a Reploid," he said. "I   
didn't ask to be created. I don't owe anyone anything."  
I grinned a devious little smile, but tried to conceal it as best I could. This   
kid was going to be one of the easier cases of others like this I had met. He needed   
a little serious battle experience, to experience loss...and as tragic as that was, if he   
was to realize that he was unique and different from other robots, he was going to   
have to...well, lose someone close to him. A girl might not hurt him either, I   
thought with another grin.  
"Well, you obviously came into the Hunters for battle, my friend," I said,   
"and you're gonna get plenty of it. Sign up with my unit and we'll head off to a   
Maverick's fortress together, and kick some major Sigma-infected tail. What d'ya   
say?"I extended the hand again, waiting for a reaction this time.  
He eyed my hand, and started to open his mouth. I stopped him. "Listen,   
before you say this is just another needless formality, I have to tell you there's   
something to be said for some of tradition, okay? I'm not asking you to respect me,   
or even to accept my offer, but just come along with me and my crew and you'll get   
exactly what you want. I won't start a single conversation about anything other   
than the mission. Agreed?"  
He glanced away, looked back at my hand again after he had seen that no one   
else was around, and shook it. "It's a deal, sir. Just keep your mind where it's   
meant to be: on the mission. Is that agreed?"  
"Indubitably," I said. "Now get off to the sim-trainers. I'm sure they'll have   
some program running that you need to master."  
I heard a low grunt from him as he ran off down the corridor, knocking on   
the door of a computer-tech class in session before rounding the corner and heading   
out of sight. Alia emerged from the door seconds later, looked around, saw no one   
except me, shrugged her shoulders, and returned to her class.  
I smiled. Whether the kid liked to show it or not, I'd made progress with   
him. Doing a mission with him should be fun, I thought. He's got his priorities   
right, but he needs to make some friends. After another thought, I told myself:   
Things have an odd way of working out. I think he'll come out of this okay.  
  
* * *  
  
I reported to the briefing room, as asked by Dragonness, shortly after my   
conversation with Drex. Once there, I found a large holographic map of the city   
neatly displayed in the center of the room, green wireframes of the countless wires   
and cables buried beneath the streets meticulously placed. It was a perfect small-  
scale replica, the entire projection being a relative circle, perhaps seven feet in   
diameter. From the subway underground to the top of the tallest skyscraper, it   
ranged about five or five and a half feet in height. It was very well detailed. Out of   
curiosity, I sauntered up to the control panel for it and tapped a small holographic   
icon, bringing up the iNFO screen. Neatly typed in the "Designer" credit box was   
Chakra's name. I smiled. I knew it, I thought.  
As I shut down the window and began listening to others' conversations   
around the room, I began to figure out exactly what this was all about: they were all   
discussing which unit would take which power plant. I heard someone murmur   
something about Unit 17, and glanced over in their direction. The speaker was an   
older Reploid, most likely a veteran I had never met before. He wore a full suit of   
sleek, polished silver-and-black armor, and his ice-blue eyes accented the outfit   
wonderfully. He wore an energy gauntlet on his right hand, and a tiny heads-up   
display type of device extended from a small support on his ear to his left eye.  
I extended a hand to him in greeting. "Commander Zero Omega, of 0 Unit,   
sir," I said to him. "I haven't noticed you very much around. What's your name?"  
"My name is Grey," he said, taking my hand and shaking it. "So you're   
Zero--never thought I'd be able to meet you for real."  
"Well, here I am, sir...in the metal," I said with a smile. "What unit are you a   
member of?"  
He hesitated. "The 14th," he said quietly.  
"Dragoon's..." I whispered. "Did you know Magma Dragoon?" I asked.  
He nodded. "He was the best Hunter we ever had, other than Sigma, maybe.   
Higher than Special Class A, by far."  
"Do you know why--?"  
He shook his head. He didn't need me to finish the question: Why did he   
become a Maverick? "We're not sure anyone knows for certain," he said. "I had a   
lot of respect for the guy. No one knows how he could have come into contact with   
a large enough strain of the virus to affect him. He was pretty darn immune to it."  
So am I, I thought. "I respected him too. When he ended up fighting X and   
me, it broke my heart to see that another Hunter was throwing his career down the   
toilet. Half of him wanted power, power enough to defeat myself and X...but the   
other half told him not to be so greedy...but Sigma has a way of enforcing himself   
on those who want things badly enough..."  
"You did him a bigger favor than you can imagine by destroying him," Grey   
said. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, and from the rest of the unit, my   
most sincere thanks."  
"When I was a Maverick, my half wanted nothing more than for someone to   
finally get the upper hand on me, to destroy me so that I wouldn't kill any more..."  
"And then Commander Sigma did, nearly. You were lucky you got out of   
that one alive, sir."  
"I'm glad that's over," I said, "and I'm also glad that I got to make up for   
some of the evil things I'd done by joining the Hunters."  
He nodded. "I respect you as much as I do Dragoon, sir," he said. "You've   
been through a lot, and still lived to tell about it. You deserve more credit than   
you've gotten."  
"I'm not a glory hog, first and foremost," I said. "Everything I do for the   
Hunters now is strictly payback to the virus for all the torture and pain it put me   
through. Thank you for the commendation, though. It's a nice gesture."  
"Just taking your unit into one of the plants, sir?"  
"Not absolutely sure which plant yet, but yes. Who's commanding 17 in X's   
leave?" I asked.  
"I'm not entirely sure that 17 has an official leader right now, sir," he said,   
shrugging. "Skyler would be the person to ask. He's over at about Power Plant #2   
on the hologram," he said, pointing in its general direction. "Have a word with   
him."  
"Well, thank you for the kind conversation, Grey," I said. "I'll be sure to talk   
to you again sometime."  
He nodded and offered an abbreviated wave as he turned back to a tech-specs   
chart on the wall for cannon modules. I myself turned in the direction he had   
pointed and made my way over to Skyler.  
"Skyler, buddy, pal, friend," I greeted him, hugging him with one arm and   
shaking his hand with the other. "How have you been?"  
"Slept well over the night," he said. "You?"  
"Wonderful," I said. "A long train ride does wonders for insomnia."  
"So...I suppose you have something to say?"  
"Actually, it's more of a question. Do you have any idea who's commanding   
Unit 17 in X's absence?"  
"17's got no definite commander right now," he said. "We're trading out   
different members of the unit every week and rotating their commanding duty."  
"How's it been going?"  
"If you're talking efficiency, percentage is way down. We need X back."  
"What if you were to join two units temporarily?" I asked. "Is that allowed?"  
"I would suppose so," he said, "but whoever had the double-unit'd have to   
take the enemies that were higher-priority."  
"The more dangerous ones," I said.  
"Basically. What would you call this unit, anyway?" he asked. "Unit 8 1/2?"  
"I don't think it would matter not to call it Unit 0 officially," I said. "Just   
don't let any of the newbies think I've got one huge unit on my hands. I don't want   
to appear too responsible or anything, you know. Looks bad for my reputation."  
"I can appreciate that," he said. "I'll set that up with the records for now,   
and I'll let the current commander fill-in know he's relieved for the time present."  
"I'm sure he will be relieved once you tell him that, Skyler. Don't work too   
hard, buddy. I'll talk later about setting up our mission."  
"Sure thing, Zero," he said as he walked off to find an archivist. I, on the   
other hand, had a sudden idea and closed my eyes softly.   
Concentrating on my destination and its surroundings, a shaft of orange light   
enveloped my body and I was transported, in the blink of an eye, to the meadow   
where I had fought X not so long ago, when he had been possessed by Sigma's   
persona. I sat down eagerly and floppd backwards into the tall grass, staring up at   
the half-moon that shone its light across the field. Heaving a large sigh, I smiled to   
myself and yelled out loud in a moment of victorious triumph: "You can't take this   
away from me, Sigma, no matter how hard you try!" I will make absolutely sure of   
that, I thought. No. No, this war isn't Sigma's fault. Sigma was just in the wrong   
place at the wrong time. It's that blasted virus. That stupid Maverick virus caused   
all this.  
But it still can't take away nature, I thought. This will always be my place of   
rest and spiritual cleansing, I told myself. Always.  
A small bird's chirp came from the grass in front of me. Parting the green   
blades, I saw that the poor little thing had gotten his wing stuck in a small branch.   
Though I was no birdwatcher, he was obviously some sort of bluejay, with a strange   
and certainly uncommon stripe of green arched behind his head. A feather had   
somehow hung in the crook of the limb, and refused to move, whatever the bird   
tried.  
Reaching down, I extended a single finger and touched it to the bird's head.   
He lowered it when he felt my digit against his neck, and I smiled in spite of the   
situation. "No matter how many people I save from burning buildings or exploding   
warehouses, I never feel quite as heroic as when I do something like this," I said.   
Moving my finger around to the intruding stick, I felt my way up to the point in his   
wing where the feather had caught on the twig, used one hand to steady the wing,   
and the other to pull the branch at an angle so as not to hurt the little creature. It   
came free, and his feather set itself back into alignment with the others. For a split   
second, it was almost as if the bird took a glance at me, then he flew off in an   
abrupt beating of wings.  
"What, not even a 'thank you'?" I asked, chuckling. "Stay out of trouble!" I   
yelled at him as he flapped off.  
Laying back in the grass, I began thinking again: Maybe I should bring Drex   
here, just to show him how calming and awesome such a simple thing can be. If he   
didn't have an emotion chip, I'd like to see him try to enjoy this nearly as much as   
I do.  
After a moment, I realized I had become a little too relaxed: I drifted off to   
sleep in the meadow. Not that I minded, of course...a little cat nap never hurt   
anybody. 


	5. What's with Drex?

Chapter Five  
  
I returned from the meadow an hour later. The Hunters hadn't missed me too   
terribly; I had no welcome wagon of the usual mission planners asking me for their   
advice. I returned to my quarters in silence, logging on to the personal computer   
terminal that was customary to each Hunter's quarters.  
As I brought up a game program and played a simple round of an old video   
game called Pong, I began thinking about things, and various notions began passing   
in and out of my conscious mind.  
Finally, I had hit something on which I stumbled: Did I love Iris for her, or   
did it have anything to do with the Iris that had come before her, Colonel's sister   
Iris?  
I'm still not quite sure what made me think of this, but once my mind had   
settled on it, I felt somewhat obligated to answer the question as best I could. Did I   
really love Iris? Was it a love for her, or for her deceased namesake?  
I shook my head, losing a point to the computer. "Do I love her?" I asked   
silently. "Everything's been so fast with me lately...maybe I've forgotten what love   
is. I need her back, so I can answer the question truthfully."  
I sighed, lending my concentration to the game again. I beat the computer   
player easily enough, then shut the program out. On a second thought, I went into   
the Hunter archives and brought up new recruit records.  
"Drex..." I muttered, "why are you so afraid to be a Reploid?" I went into his   
personal records, finding them easily enough and typing in my authority password.   
Scanning down the page, I found a paragraph or two that caught my eye. I read it   
aloud, more muttering than anything: "...In another incident that edifies the anti-  
Reploid protests of yesteryear, a young male Reploid named Drex attacked his   
superior in the Continental Special Forces. Claiming it was an accident, Drex   
insists that the superior officer both verbally and physically abused the Reploid's   
human female partner. Her name has not been released to the press as of yet. One   
of Drex's fellow soldiers gives his take on the event: 'They were both sitting on   
opposite sides of the commissary, and Drex was eating some of whatever was for   
lunch that day. He spotted Commander Wyllis across the room and walked over to   
talk. Next thing anyone knew, they were yelling at each other and trying to pound   
each other to death.'  
"It seems Drex came close to doing just that, in fact," it went on. "He   
verbally assaulted the commander, both with personal insults, and some based   
heavily on his authority...more specifically, his abuse of it.  
"After a few heated offenses with each other, it began to turn ugly. Another   
soldier recalls: 'The commander and Drex began shoving each other rather roughly.   
By this time quite a crowd had begun gathering around them, and a few of Drex's   
friends were trying to coax him out of the fight...but I sensed at this point that he'd   
just been pushed too far past his limit.'  
"And so, a fight began, but ended rather quickly. Drex took a good punch at   
Wyllis, and drew his hand back quickly. Another soldier who witnessed the event   
said, 'We thought Wyllis had had it after one punch, but...he showed us he wasn't   
quite ready to give up just yet. People were making bets on the side... I thought he   
was an absolute idiot to keep fighting against a Reploid, but...' and then his voice   
trails off as we recount more of the incident.  
"Wyllis showed that he was not a force to be reckoned with, even to a   
Reploid, who, on average, are roughly fifty times stronger than a human in Wyllis's   
good physical shape. Drawing his right hand away from his now-bleeding nose,   
Wyllis took a shot at Drex himself. After failing a good punch, he reached the hand   
down to Drex's belt, where he kept his energy saber weapon. Igniting the calm blue   
blade of the sword, he raised it to the Reploid's throat and whispered some threats   
menacingly. Those outside the fight were unable to hear the dialogue that passed,   
and both of the two fighters have declined to comment on what exactly was said.  
"Drex tried to move himself out of the way of the blade, but Wyllis caught   
him with it, raking it through his forearm. Drex became outraged, yelled angrily,   
and shoulder-rammed the commander in the stomach before falling to a knee and   
holding his sliced arm in pain.  
"Drex's arm has been repaired, and accusations are being weighed equally by   
the government's highest courts. Cmdr. Byron Wyllis is recovering in the hospital,   
suffering from cracked cartilage in the nose, two broken ribs, and three additional   
bruised ribs. It is evident that the young female soldier that Drex accused the   
commander of abusing has experienced some kind of physical trauma, but its   
source has not been officially determined. She lies in a bed in the same hospital as   
the commander. Drex is being withheld from the army's force until his non-  
Maverick status has been proven by tests, expected to run sometime later this week.   
We will continue to update our reports as we receive more information."  
Diving further into the files, I looked up the Maverick test that had reportedly   
been performed on Drex's system. It was the usual kind of test that any one of us   
Reploids had to take before going into any type of armed forces. The results   
showed a wireframe drawing of Drex's body from the front, with text messages on   
the side about their findings.  
"Our results in these tests are inconclusive," I read. "Additional tests will be   
needed to attain proper results."  
Looking around the folder of Drex's files further, I tried to find results of   
another test, but I was unsuccessful. That doesn't make sense... I thought. To have   
to run more tests to confirm the results, and then not do it? That's weird... I knew   
there had to be an explanation, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I'd approach the   
subject with Drex later on.  
So he DID have a girl interest... I thought with a smile. That proves   
something, at least.  
And I still questioned his test results. Browsing further around the folder, I   
found a video interview he had recorded and had placed in the records. I opened it   
and sat back, waiting for it to load.  
A dark-skinned woman, most likely 35 or slightly older, appeared on the   
screen. She held a notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. "Hello," she   
said, "and welcome back to NewsWire. Today, we have with us a very special   
guest, a Reploid who was done a major injustice by the Continental Army. His   
name is Drex. You may have heard of him a few months ago, when he was court-  
martialed for attacking a superior officer. Drex, welcome to you."  
"And a good evening to you," said Drex, as the camera cut to him. His face   
didn't hold quite the same apathetic expression it normally did now, but it was   
showing signs of developing into it.  
"First of all, I know the news reports all covered this incident," she said, "but   
just give me, in your own words, exactly what happened between you and the   
commander, Mr. Byron Wyllis."  
"Of course, Connie," he said politely. "I'm sure you've heard the accusations   
I made toward the commander regarding a female member of my platoon."  
"Yes, of course," she said, glancing at her notepad. "Ms. Kristina   
Oleriae...you claimed that the commander verbally and physically abused her."  
"Exactly," he said, adjusting his position in the straight-backed chair. "I   
knew he had been up to something for quite some time, but I wasn't sure exactly   
what until the day before the incident occurred. I made up my mind at that point to   
do something about it. She tried to stop me from doing it...by this time she'd been   
in the hospital awhile, of course. She always insisted she had done something to   
herself for her to end up with those cracked ribs..."  
"You say she didn't want you to do anything about it," Connie said. "Do you   
have any idea why she wouldn't want you to?"  
He lowered his head and chuckled almost inaudibly. "I think, whether the   
humans like to admit it or not, that there is a cold war going on right now between   
them and us," he said, indicating himself with a hand. "Perhaps she didn't this to   
jeopardize my career in the armed forces any more than it had to."  
"You believe the punishment for this was stricter for you than it would have   
been for a human who did the same thing?" she asked.  
"Let me put it this way:" he said, "the results of my Maverick tests have still   
not officially been completed, and this thing happened three, four months ago,   
correct?"  
She nodded. "Yes. So you feel you've been done an injustice by not getting   
your test results confirmed yet?"  
"Worse than an injustice, Connie," he said. "A Reploid cannot be employed   
anywhere in the world without a negative Maverick test result that's less than six   
months old, as you well know. When I was denied justice in this case, it made me   
infamous as well as unemployed."  
"So you've not been able to work anywhere for the past three months?"  
"Absolutely not. Law and fear forbids it."  
"Why do you think your test results have not been carried through?" she   
asked, leaning in toward him slightly.  
"Honestly...I think someone is purposefully keeping them from me, perhaps   
by bribing the officials at the testing facility."  
"Any suspects?"  
"One."  
She nodded, leaned back into her seat. "And also, Drex...I must ask you this,   
while we still have time...were you and Ms. Oleriae romantically linked?"  
He smiled slyly. "I'll not deny the rumors, Mrs. Langham. Kristina and I   
were making plans for our future together when this entire fiasco started. Perhaps   
when she is released from the hospital, we'll follow through on those plans."  
"And your thoughts on Commander Wyllis?" she asked. "While I have you   
in a good mood."  
He laughed. "Byron is a good officer...but everyone has their faults. I do   
sincerely believe Kristina about what he did to her, but I wouldn't put it past him to   
be commanding another platoon of troops within the year."  
"Thank you, Drex. As you know, Commander Wyllis is recovering in a bed   
tonight in the very same hospital that your Kristina is in. Any last comments before   
we break?"  
He smiled. "Wyllis, if you're watching...you hit hard, and you've got guts."  
The host smiled. "Very good, Drex. Thank you for coming. It's always   
interesting to have a Reploid's point of view on our show. We hope you come back   
sometime soon."  
"Well, thank you very much, Connie," he said, smiling back. "Call me again   
if you'd like to talk."  
"Indeed I will," she said, smiling and looking directly into the camera. "And   
this is Connie Langham for NewsWire. Back to Jon in the home studio. Jon?"  
The scene faded to black as the cameras backed off and Connie and Drex   
chatted inaudibly. So he thinks someone was messing with his tests at the center...   
I thought. So did I.  
I scanned down the list further and came upon another entry that caught my   
eye: a second written article that contained more information for me. I opened it   
and began to read.  
In bold lettering, the title read: "Reploid Fires On Patient In Hospital". I   
continued: "A Reploid named Drex who has been in the news quite a bit lately burst   
into Charlist Memorial Hospital last night, demanding to know the room where his   
former commander in the Continental Army, Commander Byron Wyllis, was   
staying. After finding his room number at the reception desk, he calmly used the   
elevator to reach his floor, entered Wyllis's room, and shot him directly in the head   
with a laser pistol before he had a chance to react.  
"Wyllis, an upstanding officer in the Army, had bad blood with Drex before   
over a female co-worker named Kristina Oleriae. Drex claimed Wyllis physically   
and verbally abused her..." Blah, blah, blah, I thought. I've heard all this already.   
Get to the rest of the article.  
"It was noted that after the commander had been fired upon, a small leak of   
some unknown blue liquid seeped out of his head, as well as the usual stream of   
blood. Hospital technicians and others are already hard at work trying to determine   
exactly what this substance is.  
"When asked what his motive was for firing on Wyllis, Drex simply said, 'I   
thought he was an enemy, and I have no regrets.' He discussed with us later that he   
had been monitoring Wyllis's contacts with those outside the hospital, and found   
that he had been communicating with the group that had been running Drex's   
Maverick tests.  
"'I believe he was bribing them somehow, getting them to hold back my test   
results,' he said. 'Why he would, I can't guess, unless it was out of bitterness, but   
my mind is made up that he had something to do with this all along.' Investigations   
are still being done by the local police on Drex's inferences, and it has been decided   
that he will not be punished in any way until something new is discovered about the   
aforementioned blue substance. The authorities have decided that this liquid may   
have something to do with Drex's motives. However, if this does not prove to be   
the case, Drex could face total deactivation, under penalty of the breaking of the   
Asimov's First Law bill.  
"Commander Wyllis was the father of one child, a girl named Talia, now   
fourteen. His funeral service will be held this Friday at noon at the Continental   
Army's private memorial chapel. The presiding speaker will be Reverend William   
Wahlberg. Talia Wyllis herself is expected to make some remarks as well. Platoon   
members and friends of the family are encouraged to attend."  
Absorbing the rest of that, and mulling the "blue liquid" over in my mind, I   
said out loud, "I need a drink," then stood up and left the room for the commissary,   
leaving my computer workspace open to Drex's records.  
  
* * *  
  
When I returned from my refresher, I sat back down at my workspace and   
switched my computer's standard message output to broadband, hoping beyond   
hope that the idea I had while chugging down a Frappucino would work.  
In the New Message window that popped up, I typed in "Testing, one two   
three...testing... Please respond if this message is received. - Zero".  
I touched the screen's "Send" button, and the message was sped away. If my   
plan had worked, I'd know within minutes. Until then...I'd continue perusing   
Drex's files.  
Scanning further past the window's border, I saw many useless things...and   
then laid eyes on a third written article. Opening it, I read the headline: "Reploid   
Finds Source of Strange 'Blue Goo'". I smiled and began to read the article. The   
first paragraph was a review of who Drex was and what his significance in the   
news was prior to this article, and then, this new information:  
"Along with the help of a team of top-ranked Reploid scientists, Drex has   
found what caused the unusual blue liquid to come seeping from Commander   
Wyllis's head when he was killed. It seems another computer virus, in fact, invaded   
the man's neural systems two or three moths prior to his death. An autopsy   
performed shortly after the discovery was made only furthered this evidence.  
"This new virus was proven to be a veritable replica of the Sigma virus,   
except for its ability to enter human minds as well as Reploid minds. It is not   
expected to be much of a problem, but scientists are still at a loss to reason why this   
virus is able to tap humans' neural nets.  
"Drex, as much criticism as he received from the press, and as infamous as   
his reputation has become, should be considered a hero in this case. His destruction   
of the original virus strain nearly assures that another wave of it will not spring up   
again. Any judgments that were pending on his person pertaining to Commander   
Wyllis's killing have been dropped by the courts in light of his discoveries and   
efforts to stop the virus strain. Says Drex, 'I am glad this ordeal is over, and   
especially that it didn't go any further than this. I give my sincere thanks to those   
who didn't lose their faith in my innocence through the whole thing.'  
"Getting right down to the meat of it, the blue liquid's flow came from the   
piercing of a small chip in Cmdr. Wyllis's brain, apparently the headquarters (no   
pun intended) of the virus. Perhaps this will give our researchers an inclination as   
to why the virus can invade the human system as well as the Reploid. Dr. Zerchus   
Driar has a theory: 'The virus invades the system as does any other virus; air   
transmission, transportation through bodily fluids or through water...just like a flu   
virus. The twist with this one is its unique makeup. Normally, a computer virus is   
simply lines of computer code. In this case, whoever designed it had to implant the   
source code into some kind of microscopic organism. The idea is genius...but   
deadly. The microchip in Wyllis's head was a product of the virus itself; certainly,   
you and I both know that oxygen contains a degree of metals. These metals, when   
inhaled by the virus's host, were built up inside the head by the virus and formed   
into a tiny facsimile of a microchip. Once the virus plugged itself into this chip, its   
power over the body and its functions multiplied tenfold  
  
"'The blue secretion, we have guessed, was a waste product made by the   
virus and its activities. Even complex computer code, like the bit of it in this virus,   
can prove to be too much for the systems of a microorganism to handle without   
severe stress. With extra stress to its system once it was plugged into the microchip,   
its waste increased almost as much as its power over the body. What it absorbed or   
ate to cause this waste is still being speculated, however.'  
"So, until we hear more from this team of scientists, we will leave you with   
what information we have given you. Keep reading The Continental Herald for   
more updates!"  
"Hmm..." I said, thinking out loud more than anything. "A virus that could   
take over a human's system...interesting." Ten to one this was Wraith they were   
talking about, some older strain of it, a beta version...There had only been two   
noteworthy computer viruses I could think of, and they were Sigma and   
Wraith...and this certainly wasn't Sigma.  
But who could've created this kind of thing? Who would've been twisted   
enough to think this up, and who'd've had the wherewithal to do it?  
I knew someone...Sigma himself. But he was weakened by our last attack   
beyond a new plan for awhile, wasn't he? His words earlier now began to make me   
feel qualms about that. Was he or wasn't he out of this fight? I didn't know for   
sure...and I wasn't entirely sure he himself knew for sure yet. It was certain he'd   
look for a spot to interject himself in this conflict with Wraith, but just where, or   
whether he'd even find the opportunity he was looking for was beyond me.  
At this point, I doubted that Sigma had created the virus himself, but nothing   
could be ascertained at this point. I needed evidence. Somewhere deep within my   
heart I knew it was him, but I'd have to prove it to myself before I'd believe it.  
My computer spoke: "You've received a message, Zero." I opened the   
message-sending program again and looked at the in-box. The message inside it   
read:  
  
Dear Zero,  
I'm glad you finally thought of something so obvious. Searching the   
continent for my Hunter's Intranet account protocol address...very good. Bravo,   
my friend. I haven't been in touch with the base for quite some time now, nearly   
two months, I believe. So far, my search, which, as you probably guessed, was   
for Roll and Iris, has been unsuccessful. They gave no real hint as to where   
they were going, so I've had a lot of dead ends.  
I've heard about the new Wraith virus through the news media and   
such...best of luck to you, my friend. I don't think I'll be returning before your   
conflict is over. You have your periods of requested loneliness...and now I have   
mine. The war's been hard on me lately, Zero, and I need to get away from it   
for awhile. Taking vacation off and then having to come back just wouldn't've   
worked for me. I need more time to think about what my involvement in this war   
has done for our side, Zero...what my fighting and my violence have done to   
help us. Once I figure that out, I'll return. Until then...take care of Chakra and   
Skyler and the others for me. I know you'll understand. Have fun fighting   
Wraith, Zero, and please don't tell Cain I went awol. I'm pretty sure he'd   
understand my position, too, but I don't want to jinx it.  
My misgivings about fighting have finally gotten to me, I believe...and   
that's why I can't come back to the Hunters right now. I'll see you soon, my   
friend.  
  
- X  
  
That note left me with a gleam of hope. At least I knew X was still alive,   
even if he wasn't planning on returning anytime soon. Oh, well...at least I'd made   
contact. I'd let Dr. Cain know about that, but I wouldn't tell him about X's rather   
long planned vacation.  
"Zero," the intercom chimed. I jumped slightly, startled by the sudden break   
in silence.  
"Yes? What is it?" I asked. "I'm in the middle of something right now."  
"This is Skyler, sir."  
"And you contacted me...why?"  
"You have some visitors, sir."  
"Well, tell them to come back some other time," I said. "I'm in the middle of   
something rather important right now."  
"Um, sir..." came Chakra's voice, "if I may intrude upon whatever it is   
you're doing...I think this is worth your while."  
"Chakra, I'm really working on something that doesn't need to be interrupted   
here."  
"But, sir..."  
"Just send them here, how 'bout it?" I asked. "Unless it's an angry mob or   
something." I paused. "It's not, is it?"  
"No, sir..." he said. "But they want you to come here."  
I sighed. "Sure. I suppose work can wait for a few people who I've never   
met. Tell you what--I'll even come there. Just tell me what comm room you're in,   
and I'll be there in two shakes."  
"Room number 12, sir," he said. "We'll see you in a minute."  
"Less than that," I said. "Be right there."  
I shut off the comm and bookmarked my place in Drex's files. This was   
really interesting...but I'd save it for later. For now, I'd go to the comm room and   
find out whoever it was Chakra and Skyler had insisted I meet, and whatever they   
wanted from me.  
  
* * *  
  
I entered Comm Room 12, not expecting to find much more than a member   
of the press, or possibly some Intranet reporter.  
Boy, was I wrong.  
When I pushed open the door, the first two faces I saw were those of Skyler   
and Chakra, beaming brightly. I began to question their grins when the door shut   
behind me. I turned around, and the charming female Reploid I had met just the   
other night who called herself Ebony stood there, her hand on the broadside of the   
door. Her friend Sable was close by her side. Both sets of eyes gave the impression   
they were smiling; I couldn't make it out through the visors that covered their faces.  
They looked at each other silently, then Ebony stepped forward to me. I   
frowned at Chakra and Skyler, then looked back at her. "We meet again. Can I   
help you?" I asked.  
"If you can drag yourself away from work for one lousy minute for me," she   
said.  
I arched an eyebrow. "It would be nice to--"  
"Oh, I suppose it would help if you knew what I looked like," she said,   
reaching for the sides of her helmet.  
Pulling it off towards me, I saw only a crown of gorgeous brown hair,   
glimmering in the light of the room. When the helmet was finally drawn away from   
her face, I felt as though I'd faint. She-- She was--  
"Ta-dah!" she said, extending her arms playfully. "Hello again, Zero!"  
I found my wits somehow and managed a madly cheerful smile. "Hello   
again, Iris," I choked. 


	6. Lost Loves Return

Chapter Six  
  
"Iris!" I threw my arms around her, the expected tears already forming in my   
eyes. She accepted it and squeezed me as hard as I did her. "You're back..."  
She smiled and spoke into my ear. "Yes, I am, Zero. And so's Roll," she   
said, gesturing toward Sable, now pulling off her helmet to reveal Roll's familiar   
smiling face.  
"The disguises definitely worked for you guys," I said. "Very stylish too, I   
might add."  
"OUR disguises?" Iris asked. "What is this?" She gestured to my clothing.  
I laughed. "Chakra didn't recognize me either," I said. "I had Cain make it   
for me while I was on vacation, and...well, I've kinda gotten to like it."  
"I like it," Iris said. "It's just that we had no idea we were talking to you,   
working with you to keep that train on the tracks."  
"And you sure were snippity," I said. "You were really short with me."  
"Sorry," she said. "I was another person, so I had to act different. When I   
guessed you were a Maverick Hunter, I had to act like someone other than Iris in   
case you recognized me and told...well, yourself."  
"And I had my saber put away when you swung onto the scene, so you   
couldn't have seen my emblem on the hilt..."  
"We just did a pretty good job of fooling each other," Roll said with a   
chuckle.  
"And not that I mind the reunion, guys," I said as I continued hugging Iris,   
"but why are you back? I thought you were going to find a cure for the Sigma   
virus...?"  
"We couldn't stay away that long," Roll said. "We knew there'd be a   
shortage of Hunters during this Wraith business...so we thought we'd lend our   
talents to you guys again for awhile."  
"We never found anyone to work on an antivirus for us," Iris said. "We   
found so many dead ends it wasn't even funny."  
"I think I know why, too," I said. "I was looking at some files right before   
you guys came in, and I think Wraith has a really unique ability that no one else   
knows about yet."  
"A special ability?"  
"I was reading up on a problem Hunter, and found out he had something to   
do with the destruction of a strain of an older virus, hardly ever mentioned in the   
news, for some odd reason."  
"And you thought..."  
"It has to be Wraith. It explains the shortage of info on it, and it explains my   
Hunter's aversion to any mention of the virus."  
"So what's the ability you spoke of, Zero?" Chakra asked.  
"Wraith...or whoever this virus was in the news stories...it was somehow able   
to take humans as its Maverick host as well as Reploids."  
Skyler raised an eyebrow. "That...could explain it. Only human scientists   
are permitted to work on computer-virus news archives...if there was even one   
human-Maverick among the group of scientists, he could have destroyed enough   
information about itself..." He cast a glance at me; "...or Sigma..."  
I nodded. "I think he's still alive and well. And he may not be as weak as   
we liked to imagine."  
Chakra and Roll both let out sighs. Iris narrowed her eyes. "Do you think   
Sigma may have created the virus to begin with?"  
"I doubt it," I said. "It's too involved of a plan for Sigs to think up. The one   
he made up to turn the Repliforce against the Hunters not too long ago had to've   
been hard for him. He's poetic and intelligent, yes, but not great at sticking to a   
plan."  
"So a scientist probably created the virus..."  
"Whether by accident or not, it doesn't matter. Sigma got ahold of Wraith   
somehow, and he's working for Sigs himself now, I'd wager."  
"We have to rely on that," Chakra said. "If we're dealing with Sigma, or   
even one of his cohorts, things'll happen like they always do...fast."  
Skyler nodded. "I can get a ship out to any power station in this city in less   
than five minutes. We can start in the morning. Tonight, you should take out some   
newbies and train, Zero, a few you deem promising. We'll take them out on the   
mission tomorrow."  
Chakra nodded. "I think that'd be appropo," he said with a stroke of his   
chin. "No way for the newbies to learn better than to go out themselves."  
"Oh, and Roll?" I addressed her.  
She gave an acknowledging "Hmm?" in response.  
"I don't know if you've been told this just yet, but X has...well, taken a leave   
of his own."  
She frowned. "That doesn't sound like him."  
"He said the war's beginning to get to him. He needs some time to recover   
from all the fighting he's been doing lately. You know he's like that. He hates   
violence, and stays away from it, if he can help it."  
She nodded. "Will he be coming back to help us out with Wraith?"  
I shook my head. "I got a message from him a few minutes ago. He said   
he's purposely planning not to return until we've worked it out."  
She lowered her head. "So you can talk to him?"  
"Indirectly, through text messages. But yes, I can."  
"I'll write to him, then, and tell him we're back. Maybe that can convince   
him to return."  
"Perhaps, Roll, but somehow I doubt it. I think X has made up his mind this   
time."  
She nodded. "I can still try."  
"That you can," I said. "I'll give you his Hunter protocol ID number   
tomorrow morning. I think a message from you would cheer him up."  
"Would you care to slip out of here, Zero?" Iris asked, reaching for my hand.  
I smiled, let her take it. "I think that would be wonderful. Do you   
guys...mind?"  
Chakra coughed. "No sir, go ahead. I think she's been away far too long for   
you two not to go make out for awhile."  
I slapped his helmet. "You're just jealous!" I said.  
"Indeed I am, sir. Go ahead now and have some time alone. You certainly   
need it."  
And with that remark and a wink to Roll, I slipped out of the room with Iris   
to the hall just beyond, clenching her hand a bit tighter as I began a teleport that   
would take us to my meadow.  
  
* * *  
  
I almost immediately flopped back into the grass of the meadow the instant   
we were free of the orange light that had brought us here. I still held Iris's hand, so   
she had little choice but to join me. She laughed absentmindedly as she made   
herself comfortable. I turned on my side to look at her and smiled. "I've missed   
you."  
She turned over and faced me as well. "And I've missed you," she said,   
touching her index finger lightly to my nose. "I couldn't stop thinking about you   
ever since Roll and I left."  
"How far away from here did you travel?" I asked. "Where have you been   
looking for answers to Sigma?"  
"We traveled hundreds of miles to look for someone who could help   
us...thousands, even. No one could do anything about the virus. Not one person   
had enough of everything needed...funds, equipment, technology...no one had an   
equal enough balance to do anything noteworthy."  
"But now you're back," I said. "You put those thousands of miles behind   
you, and now you've returned to me." I traced my own index finger down her nose,   
over the outer rim of her ear, and down her left cheek to her chin. "I don't know   
how I've lasted through all the paperwork without this to fall back on."  
She closed her eyes contentedly and shimmied up next to me. "It's been a   
lonely vigil, love."  
"But not anymore," I said. I leaned in, and, starting at her forehead, placed   
small kisses down her nose to her lips, where we both contributed to another   
lengthy, more passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around her and began thinking   
to myself.  
To think it had been her just the other night that helped me save the people   
in that train...she seemed so different then. She said she was just trying to keep me   
from recognizing her, but...I don't know...maybe there's just another side to her I   
haven't seen just yet, some pretentious, condescending facet of her ego...  
Her gentle voice shook me away from that thought. "Zero...has it seriously   
only been six months?"  
I smiled. "Yeah...I know it seems like so much longer."  
"How has everyone been while we were gone?"  
"Everyone's been pretty good...Chakra got to finally take a little of that   
vacation time off I owed him," I chuckled.  
She laughed. "Poor Chakra," she said. "He gets too much vacation for you   
guys to keep up with." I stood up, taking her hands and hoisting her up after me.  
Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she wiped away a stray tear from her   
laugh. I was stunned at how much more beautiful she seemed now, now that she'd   
been away for six long months... She seemed different, as if she had changed quite   
a bit in just half a year...  
And a pain beyond description gripped my chest. I fell to my knees, holding   
my hand to it out of reflex. Iris followed my descent, looking more than a little   
concerned. I propped myself on my free arm and found out I couldn't do much   
more than groan. "I--Iris..." I managed to growl, "...Get...get away from here..."  
"What?" she asked. "What's the matter, Zero? What's happening?"  
"...It's the virus...getting to me...something's going to happen..."  
"But what?"  
"...Don't know...just go...don't want you hurt..."  
I heard my Sigma root say something, but I was only able to hear a fraction   
of the statement: ...Not time yet...wait for it...  
I tried to figure out exactly what it was he was trying to say...but to no avail.   
I crouched further as the virus's pang in my circuits showed no sign of easing up.   
"...Get Skyler and Chakra...they'll know how to help..." I instructed her. "Go!"  
She nodded, took a few steps back, and slid into a thin beam of white light as   
she 'ported out and back to HQ.   
I lay in the tall grass, still being assaulted by the nameless torment that tore at   
my body. "Ssssssig...ma..." I strained to form the name.  
You rang? my Maverick root answered.  
"This is your doing...something's wrong..."  
Oh, is it? Heh...Oh, it's not me directly causing this, dear Zero. You'll find   
out what it is soon, I think.  
"You l--lie..." I grunted. "It can't be anyone but you."  
Have you forgotten so quickly about Wraith, my friend? You might have   
been infected with that virus by someone of your acquaintance... And with that   
ambiguous statement, he let out a small chuckle.  
"My systems are too strong now...now that I've developed an immunity to   
your virus, Sigma."  
I think not, my friend. You're still vulnerable to this strain of the Wraith   
virus...which means you'll have to be more careful this time.  
"Indeed," I said through gnashed teeth. "Now silence yourself!" I said,   
throwing a hand over my chest and forcing myself to stand.  
Two streaks of light, one blue and one white, sped into the meadow from the   
sky a few seconds later. Skyler and Chakra appeared from the shafts of   
illumination, rushing to my side and steadying me.  
"Are you okay, sir?" Chakra asked, hooking an Infolink cable up to my vitals   
port.  
I nodded. "I'm okay now...I think Wraith may have got me. Check it quick,   
Chakra!"  
He nodded. "You've got an infection, sir. Wraith Virus to the T. Let's get   
you back to Lomae so he can defrag that dirty thing before it can develop into   
anything."  
I nodded. "Yeah, let's." Concentrating lightly, I warped out of the meadow   
with my two friends back to Hunter Base.  
  
* * *  
Sitting me up, Lomae said: "Well, you seem to be okay, other than the Wraith   
virus infection. It's a good thing Skyler and Chakra were able to get to you   
quickly."  
"It felt like my internal circuitry was being eaten. Thanks, Lomae," I said,   
hopping off the examination table and hugging her. "You did get all of the virus,   
correct?"  
She nodded. "Standard antiviral procedures, like the ones we use for Sigma,   
work just as well on Wraith. You're cured for now, and your system's   
defragmented. Be careful out there, Zero."  
"I'll try my best, Lomae," I said, "but don't be surprised to see me in here   
again within a week," I said as I winked and dashed out the door.  
"Um, Zero?" I heard her call.  
Stepping back in the medbay door, I smiled and answered: "Yes?"  
"Do you have any idea about what could have caused the sudden pain?"  
I shook my head. "I really don't know. I was talking with Iris one minute,   
and then the next, I was just struck with it out of nowhere. I don't know what   
could have caused it."  
She breathed a heavy sigh. "Okay. Just curious."  
I arched an eyebrow. "Now, if you had some kind of theory or something,   
you could trust your senior officer with it, right?" I asked.  
She smiled. "It seems as if most of our plans are based on theories."  
"Doesn't it, though?" I asked, grinning. "You work with what you have.   
Anyway..."  
"I don't have anything, sir..."  
"Ah...wait a second, your voice trailed off! That means you think you know   
something!"  
"Sigma did say something to you about your being infected with the Wraith   
virus by someone you knew, right?"  
I nodded.  
"Maybe, if Wraith is working with Sigma, just maybe, Sigma constructed   
some sort of flaw in the code of Wraith to react violently with the Sigma virus, so   
when the host was infected by both..."  
"There'd be a conflict of code, and whatever's system was infected would   
start to break down, like mine did," I finished. "You may be right. There's no   
doubt in my mind that Sigma's behind Wraith, and he's been dying to get rid of me   
for years. Even if this setup wasn't just for me, I have to wonder."  
She nodded. "Ditto. Listen, I'm...gonna check in with Alia. She's down at   
the newby classes, training in comp language. Would you mind locking up when   
you leave the room? There's some fragile stuff in here, and I wouldn't want any of   
the newbies coming along in all their intelligence and smashing something really   
expensive."  
"Go ahead," I said. "I'll lock up."  
"Thanks, Zero," she said, dashing out the door and along the hallway. "See   
you later!"  
"I hope not!" I called to her. She just laughed, then disappeared around the   
corner.  
Strolling out of the room, I spoke into the lock panel: "Computer lock down   
Medbay 12. Authority code #77629."  
It buzzed for a second, then chimed: "Room locked and powered down.   
Have a nice day, Zero."  
And then I half-ran, half-walked away to find Iris and Roll. 


	7. Meet the Newbies

Chapter Seven  
  
I caught up to the girls a minute or so later, finding them around one of the   
briefing rooms. Apparently, they were interested in rejoining the units for awhile to   
take out Wraith...and now that I was commanding both, they could help me out.   
They had experience on both sides of this war, just like me. They could help me   
manage the newbies, along with Chakra.  
"Dragonness," I addressed the officer as she strode through the hall, "could   
you do me a favor?"  
"Most certainly, sir," she said. "What is it?"  
"I need you to get in touch with Skyler and tell him to formally assign Iris   
and Roll to Unit 0."  
"Not to sound insubordinate, sir, but...can't you do that yourself?" she asked.  
"I could," I said, "but I've been scheduled to train with a few of the newbies   
and haven't ever had a chance to get around to it."  
"Doing a little field-testing, sir?"  
I nodded. "Indeed. Just inform Skyler of the change to the roster of the unit,   
if you don't mind."  
"You're still commanding...Chakra's the head tech engineer and advisor,   
and...where would that put the two girls, sir?"  
"Secondary advisory," I said. "Chakra's had a tad more experience than the   
girls."  
"Noted, sir. I'll be sure to tell Skyler for you."  
"Duly noted, Dragonness. I'll see you again."  
"Indeed you will, sir," she said. "I was transferred to Unit 17 shortly before   
your return."  
"So you're with the big group now..." I said. "Glad to have you working   
with me this time around."  
She smiled. "Sir, thank you sir."  
"Oh, and Dragonness...?"  
"Sir?"  
"When you said Chakra's name...it sounded like there was a wistful twinge   
of nostalgia in your voice...anything I should be curious about? ...You know, if it's   
any of my business."  
"It's nothing, sir. Just had something caught in the back of my throat."  
"Uh-huh," I nodded, winking. "Can't fool the head fool, Dragonness. I   
know attraction when I see it."  
"Think what you like, sir. I suppose you're entitled to that. For now, I'll run   
that request to Skyler."  
She dashed off as I smirked to myself. "She likes him, but she's trying to   
hide it," I said aloud. "I've been around this group too long to not know the early   
signs of it.  
With a smile and a reassuring nod to myself, I dashed away to the conference   
room where the newbies were supposed to be gathering so I could lead then all   
away to the training grounds--my meadow.  
  
* * *  
  
"Knock-knock," I said, rapping on the door that led into the meeting room.   
"You guys in here?"  
I heard a strong-sounding male Reploid's voice echo from the insides of the   
room: "If you're looking for the trainees, you have indeed come to the right place,   
sir."  
I looked for the source of the voice and found a newby Hunter outfitted in   
heavy dark blue armor, outlined in a mix of gold and some grey tones. He spoke   
again: "Commander Zero Omega, I presume," he said, offering a hand.  
"Well met," I said. "Indeed I am Zero, sir. And you are--?"  
"They call me Kyte, sir."  
"Ah, I heard of you from my advisor. He said you seem promising to the   
unit."  
The young Reploid's chest swelled with enthusiasm. "It's been my desire   
ever since I was created to work with the Maverick Hunters," he said. "I'm glad   
some are finally beginning to understand my commitment to our people and the   
protection of the humans."  
"Reploids are looked down on in society somewhat, I suppose, because of   
their susceptibility to the Maverick virus," I agreed. "I can't blame the humans for   
that myself...I was a Maverick."  
"Yes sir," he said. "I've read your file."  
"Oh have you?" I asked. "A prepared soldier. Good. We know there are a   
few left, at least."  
"I've heard the Hunters can be somewhat off-the-cuff, sir."  
"Yes, but we need a mind in there every now and then that can do some   
serious planning. You may very well be it, Kyte. It was nice to meet you."  
"Oh, sir...you have to meet someone else."  
"Do I?" I asked. "Very well, lead me."  
Showing me over to a corner of the room, he pointed out a female Reploid,   
perhaps half a head taller than himself. She wore a suit of delicate pink armor,   
traced with light blue. A tad blocky as well, not unlike mine. "Chrysalis, this is   
Commander Omega," he said to her, while gesturing toward me.  
"How do you do," I greeted, taking the hand she gladly extended and kissed   
it gently. She smiled sweetly. "So you're Chrysalis..."  
"Chrys to my friends, sir," she corrected.  
"Well, may I call myself your friend?"  
"Indeed, sir. I'd be honored."  
"Oh, stop it," I said in mock protest. "I'm blushing...no wait, my armor's   
always that color..."  
She giggled with genuine amusement. "Well, for me to be friends with a   
legendary Special-Class A Commander...it certainly would be an honor, sir."  
"Oh, I'm legendary now?" I spotted Chakra across the room. "Chakra, I   
went legendary and no one told me?"  
He shrugged his shoulders with a grin. "No one told me sir, I thought you   
were still an old has-been."  
"No, that was you, buddy, right before you did all that stuff for the unit   
during our last fight with Sigma."  
"How could I forget?" he said. "I think that's how I finally got noticed."  
"And we have a friend that your advisor there seemed to like," Kyte said.   
"We've all met each other and bonded a bit in the past few days."  
"Let me guess--Hale?"  
"Very good, sir...you checked with Chakra before you talked to us, didn't   
you?"  
"I cannot tell a lie--I'm psychic. Yes, I did talk to Chakra last night about   
you four when I got in from my, uh...train ride."  
"Yes, we heard about that, sir...did everything turn out okay?"  
"Everyone was fine, save for the conductor. The Maverick that attacked the   
train got to him before I knew anything was going on."  
"But we hear you got your girlfriend back from the incident, at least," Chrys   
said, raising her eyebrows in a "you sly dog" look.  
"Talk does move quickly through Hunter HQ, I see," I said with a chuckle.  
"Hale's waiting in the midst of all these recruits somewhere," Kyte motioned   
with his hand.  
I nodded. "I won't bother with it right now. I'll find him at the training   
grounds for sure--I wanted to check out his energy gauntlet, and perhaps spar with   
him."  
"I'm sure he'd enjoy it, sir," Kyte remarked. "He likes showing off his   
mastery with the glove. It's a relatively new weapon, and he has a good grasp of   
the brands of attacks he can perform, its weaknesses, strengths, everything you need   
to know it battle."  
"Everyone's very confident of this guy," I said. "Chakra said he was tech   
engineer material...but a fighter, too? That's a lucky mix for us, isn't it?"  
"Indeed sir. He's a good find, no matter which way you look at it."  
My radio beeped at me, and I tapped my ear to answer. "Yes?"  
"Project Sigma 2.0's nearly complete, Zero," came Dr. Cain's voice. "I'll   
have him done in a matter of hours."  
I smiled widely. "Glad to hear it, sir. Keep me updated."  
"Count on it," he said. "Cain out."  
With a small nod, I cleared my throat and addressed the room: "Ahem! All   
trainees, may I have your attention, please?"  
"No," I heard a voice to the side murmur. Drex. I ignored it as one of his   
friends elbowed him to quiet him.  
"I am Commander Zero Omega. Most of you guys are going to get to know   
me really well because you're going to be joining up with my unit. Right now, I've   
taken on the responsibility of commanding two joined units...so chances are we'll   
get to know each other over the next few weeks. We have one member who's   
going to be joining us later. All of you remember Sigma, I'm sure.  
"He was one of the greatest Hunters ever to ride a Raiden armor," I said.   
"And he was my friend. I know some of you have already read my files, and I'm   
certainly not talking about the virus. The Reploid Sigma was as much a casualty of   
this war as Gohmer or Colonel Kenissa," I said. "He had friends. He had   
relationships...and he had enemies, I'm sure. He was one of us. And now, due to   
some stewing by myself and a favor by Dr. Cain, a resurrected version of the   
Reploid Sigma will be joining us in the near future.  
"Until then, I want to see some hustle...Everyone in white armor, grab a crate   
of weapons, over by the back door...if you've got black armor, start forming groups   
of trainees to spar with later on. If you've got decent piloting skill, see me and   
we'll try not to get ourselves killed on the way to the training grounds. Clear? Then   
move!"  
  
* * *  
  
Another newby named Blaine had decided he was something of a pilot, so we   
got to the meadow in a dropship at his command. He did pretty well, actually,   
better than I thought he would have. He and I'd talk later.  
We hopped out, spreading out and stretching for a few minutes, then I   
addressed them all: "Remember those boxes of weapons I asked you to bring along?   
Find one of whatever weapon you've signed up to use and take it. Play around with   
it, get used to it. It's gonna be your best friend in a tight spot."  
"Sir--?" Chrys raised a hand.  
I raised mine to quiet her. "I know. Some of you are using cannons. In that   
case, find some kind of projectile, throw it up in the air a few times, and do some   
target practice."  
"Sir," she said shortly, and ran off with Kyte to find a target.  
I watched some of the quicker newbies begin to twirl their sabers around;   
some jabbed at the air with their force staves. It had been a while since I had the   
opportunity to train a load of newbies...ages, even. It felt good to be the teacher   
again.  
Hale strode up to me presently with a smile on his face. "Hale, sir..." he   
introduced himself, extending a hand.   
I took it, with a smile of my own. "So you're Hale. I've been hearing a lot   
about you, both from your friends and your higher-ups."  
"Thank you sir," he said, "and I've heard from one of my higher-ups that you   
had a yen to spar with me."  
I smiled, nodding. "I've never been able to train with an energy gauntlet. I   
like close-quarters weapons, and I've been meaning to fool around with one some   
time. I want to see what it would be like to fight someone who has one."  
"Well, your saber would be a fair match," he said. "Cannon users don't do   
wonderfully against gauntlets because they can have their shots reflected back at   
them."  
"Point taken," I said. "Well, I think this can serve as your training for   
today."  
"I think that would be adequate," he said. He lowered his right hand to his   
belt, where the gauntlet was clipped. Sheathing his hand in the glove, he flexed the   
fingers and freed the weapon from his waist. With the contact of his digits, the   
glove began giving off its eerie bluish aura. The external circuitry on the gauntlet   
glowed a gentle green as he raised it to his chest and closed it into a fist. A curvy   
"H" with a silver crest around it, positioned on the back, glowed a lighter shade of   
green as he opened his fist, and a polished black claw sprouted from each finger of   
the glove, electricity jumping the gaps between them.  
I gaped. "I don't know much about gauntlets, but that's certainly not   
standard..."  
He smiled. "The claws and emblem were options I had added. Add a sort of   
darkness to the entire thing, I think...threatening."  
I nodded. "It's enchanting. My turn," I said as I pulled my saber from the   
scabbard attached to the back of my armor. Tossing it upward and catching it, I   
smiled as the green blade of energy shot out of the handle at my command.   
"Enough with the flourish, I think," I said. "Let's get to it."  
"I agree," he said. "Let's go."  
We circled each other, each jabbing our weapons toward the other at random   
intervals. I made the first move. Dashing toward him quickly, I slashed with the   
blade horizontally in my Shippuuga move again, then ducked and slashed twice at   
his feet. He was struck barely by the first attack, and the second he blocked with   
the gauntlet.  
Hopping back to my original position, I smiled. "You're fast, Hale. That   
counts for something."  
He smiled back. "My turn!" Rushing at me, he waved the glove across my   
line of vision, then dropped suddenly and gave me a sweeping kick. I tripped and   
fell on my back, but brought my leg up to counter whatever he tried next. When he   
paused, I threw my other leg up as well, using the momentum to flip back up onto   
my knees. He expected it, jumped up and over my head, and gave a swift kick to   
my back. I flopped down again onto the grass.  
Hearing him behind me, I took my saber in my other hand and swept it back   
behind me to defend my back as I formulated something else. I got back to my   
knees and somersaulted forward this time, avoiding a clawing from his gauntlet.  
Standing quickly, I turned with my saber and met his shoulder, slicing   
through his armor there. He grabbed it in pain as some of his fluids leaked out.   
He'd be okay; it wasn't a bad hit. Nonetheless, he came dashing back at me,   
slashing with the gauntlet's claws. I dodged easily enough, got in a hit or two with   
the saber, and hopped backward again. Make him keep thinking you're on the   
defensive, Zero, I told myself. That's the easiest way to reel them in for a better   
hit.  
"Could I call myself 'Bloody Hale'?" he asked, then wiped a hand down his   
face. "Sorry. Much too corny."  
I smiled. "Continue!"  
He rushed again, this time sliding underneath my legs. I had expected   
something like that, and sat, pinning him to the ground. Grabbing his forearm and   
wrestling at it a minute, I managed to get it down to the ground, where I stuck the   
saber in its fringe as I held down his other arm.  
"I think you're beat," I said with a grin.  
He beamed back at me. "You thought that, didn't you?" he asked as I felt   
him lunge. His feet came up from behind and made contact with the back of my   
head. I fell off of him and rolled forward, finding my legs somewhere and standing   
up with a hop.  
He smiled now as he jumped away, back to a more comfortable position, I   
supposed. "You're very good, sir."  
"Thanks, Hale. Auto-repair should take care of your shoulder easily   
enough."  
He smiled. "Yes sir. That was fun. Thank you."  
"You're welcome, Hale. 'Port back to base and get that fixed. Talk with   
Chakra a little while. He'll show you around the tech wing of Hunter Base."  
"Aye, sir," he said, dissolving into a streak of yellow light.  
I sighed heavily. "Class dismissed for Hale."  
"I saw that," came a voice from a treetop behind me. I looked, and Drex had   
taken a position on one of the branches. "Hale was holding back."  
"I sensed it too, vaguely," I said. "He wasn't releasing his full potential with   
that gauntlet. Why wouldn't he want to do that? It might've changed the outcome   
of the fight."  
"He's afraid, sir," he said matter-of-factly.  
"And how would you know, Mr. Independence?"  
He smiled. "I used to be his best friend."  
"Used to be...?"  
"We had a squabble over a girl some years ago. It's over between us now.   
Neither of us could agree on anything because of that, and when she finally got the   
chance...she picked me."  
"I won't ask why," I said. "I'm sure that'd be too much for your cold   
emotions chip to process."  
"I'm not as evil as you think," he said. "I have feelings, sure...I just don't   
care to employ them all that often."  
"So what happened to this love of yours?" I asked, smiling on the inside.  
He sighed. "I'm still not completely sure. She moved, changed her   
name...after the fights Hale and I had, she wasn't ready to come back to either of   
us."  
"Changed her name...hmm..." I thought out loud.  
"What was that?"  
"Nothing. Just thinking."  
"Uh-huh..." he said in a disbelieving voice. "Care to spar?"  
"Love to," I said, tapping my saber on again. "Ready when you are."  
He ignited the blue blade of his saber as well. "En garde!" 


	8. Into the Fight...

Chapter Eight  
  
  
My mind was aglow with places I could try...nothing seemed to work,   
though...Zero was sparring with one of the Hunter newbies...Drex, I believe...  
Yes, Drex...that was it. It was so hard for me to muster the energy to think   
back on details now...my only thoughts, the only pressing ones, were of Zero...and   
how I must destroy him...  
I tried another spot. Could I...would it work...?  
No. A thousand pressure points to touch Zero's mind as my own...and none   
of them alone could undertake that job. I tried another, the next in a countless   
series of failures...  
Sigma, you're getting weak, I said to myself. It never used to be this hard   
for you to tap into a Reploid mind.  
But this was no ordinary Reploid mind. This was Zero...and due to some   
frightfully unfortunate turn of events, he was somehow immune to my viral   
strain...curses.  
I had tried many times in vain, to tell myself that I could eventually break   
down the barrier between myself and Zero on my own, of my own will and   
means...but that proved to be pointless. I finally admitted to myself that I could not   
defeat the Hunter alone...  
But that's why the bad guys get others to do the dirty work for them...  
  
* * *  
  
"Ha!" Drex shouted as he drew his saber across my forearm. "Point for me!"  
I smiled. "Your only one so far," I said. "I've already got three."  
"Yeah, well...you're a Maverick Hunter unit commander."  
"And...what? You weren't an officer in the Continental Army?"  
He stopped dead. Turning off the saber quickly, he growled: "How did you   
know? What did you hear?"  
I held up my hands. "Whoa there, Drex. I know plenty. I'm a senior officer.   
I need to know about my soldiers. What I know is you were in the Army, had a   
scuffle with a senior officer over a girl, put him in the hospital and ended up killing   
him. That sound about right?"  
He nodded. "The guy was an organic Maverick."  
"Yeah, I read about the weird blue goo that came out of his head when you   
sniped him," I said. "Ten to one this Wraith is the same virus that took over that   
guy's body. What do you think?"  
He was silent, but only for a moment. "I think there's little doubt there can   
be any other virus," he said. "Sigma may be sophisticated, but it can't do stuff like   
that."  
"I agree," I said. "All signs point to Wraith. Now...how about this feud   
between you and Hale over this Kristina girl, eh?"  
He looked surprised for a moment, then took on a look of knowing. "My   
interview on NewsWire...they have that in the archives?"  
"Indeed they do," I said. "You were quite famous there for a while, Drex.   
The Intranet had numerous entries on you."  
"Hm...Well, I was always more protective of Kristina than Hale; more   
committed, too. As I said in the interview, I had planned on marrying her and   
settling down once the red tape concerning Wyllis had blown over."  
"I'm sorry you never got to be that happy," I said. "But Drex, that's no   
reason for you to pretend you've lost all emotional ties to anything."  
He shot me a glare. "You're going against your word, sir. You said no   
conversations about this."  
"Just let me get this in to you, Drex. Fair?"  
He waved his hand in an accepting motion. "Go ahead."  
"Would Kristina have wanted to you to feign unhappiness like this?"  
He sighed. "It's not for me to say, sir. Near the end of our relationship, we   
began drifting so much...I couldn't tell anymore what she would have wanted."  
"I doubt you would've wanted you to be this miserable. If you were created a   
Reploid, there was some purpose for it. Maybe you just need to do a little soul-  
searching and find out what it was."  
"Alright, enough of the gushy crap," he barked. "You still wanna fight?"  
"I think you've had enough for today," I said. "Head back to HQ and get   
some rest and something to eat. I'll think of something we can do later. Be   
expecting a call from me soon."  
"Whatever," he said casually, disappearing into a streak of black light that   
scarred the sky as he flew back home.  
"That Drex..." I said as I watched him leave. "Never can tell with him."  
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see its owner. Hale. "He's a good   
kid, sir."  
I nodded. "I know. Say...I hear you two were once friends. I know about   
the thing with Kristina and Wyllis. Experience teach you anything about dealing   
with Drex?"  
"You just have to know how to talk to him."  
"And how's that?" I asked with a smile.  
"Carefully, sir, carefully."  
We both laughed over that, then rounded up the newbies and headed back to   
base.  
  
* * *  
  
I got a call fifteen minutes after I had laid down for a nap. "Zero, sir...it's   
Chakra."  
"Yeah...what is it, bud?" I asked. "Some new developments?"  
"The Mavericks are moving, sir. Closer to the city, it seems; only a few of   
them are doing any transport, though. The three that seem to be in charge of the   
others are staying put."  
"Which ones are those?"  
"Shadow Chimera, Steele Drake, and Ash Phoenix, sir."  
"Which Maverick is closest to the city?" I asked, hopping up and transferring   
the conversation to my helmet's built-in radio as I left the room.  
"It's the one called Portal Wasp, sir. He's trying to use up enough of his   
energy to open a gravity well above the city."  
"Stupid of him," I said aloud, then reprimanded myself. "This is a setup...a   
trap..."  
"But it's one we have to jump headfirst into, sir. There's no way we can   
keep Wasp from opening that well if we don't act fast."  
I sighed. "I'll round up a half-unit of newbies and meet you at the dropships.   
Tell Skyler to be there. We need a fast driver. Keep tabs on Wasp's location. I'll   
be there in two minutes."  
Striding by the newby quarters, I shouted through the hall: "Wake up, guys!   
Unit Zero to the hangar! We've got an emergency situation here!" I spoke into my   
radio. "Dr. Cain, put Hunter Base status at Code Blue. We have Maverick activity   
down in Jolozst. I'll take a group down to remedy that."  
"A-OK, Zero," he replied. "Base at Code Blue. Good luck."  
"Thank you, sir," I said. "All right, newbies, move your tails! We need to be   
gone thirty seconds ago!"  
I walked briskly into the hangar, finding a group of maybe fifteen newbies   
there. Iris and Roll stood waiting as well, as did Chakra and Skyler. I saw Kyte,   
Chrys, Hale, and Drex all among the newbies. Good. They'd made it. "All right,   
guys. This is our group. Get to know each other; you'll be depending on each other   
for awhile. We've got a Maverick on the loose in the city. Everyone load the   
dropship and I'll give the info on the way there."  
Obediently, they all moved fluidly and loaded the transports rather quickly.   
Skyler started the engines and got us moving, and I addressed the group again: "All   
right. The name of the Maverick we're looking for is Portal Wasp. I've heard he's   
fast, but he's got a punch that could knock you out. He uses spacial manipulation   
to warp the very air and atmosphere around you. He can create junk like miniature   
black holes, gravity wells, and all kinds of other nasty stuff. He's a tough   
customer."  
Everyone seemed relatively quiet. I smiled. "And I want to thank all of you   
for responding so quickly. This was your first emergency situation as Hunters, and   
you guys did exactly what you were supposed to. You've all earned a great deal of   
respect from me today. What say we kick a little Maverick tush?"  
"Aye, sir," Skyler said form the cockpit.  
"Whaddya say, guys?" I asked the group.  
"Let's do it, sir!" Hale replied enthusiastically.  
"Yeah!" the rest chimed in. Even Drex contributed to the cheer. That made   
me happy.  
"We're approaching Wasp's perimeter," I heard Chakra say from the front.  
"Copy that," I said. "All right group...get your game faces on. It's almost   
time."  
Iris moved up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. I turned around   
and hugged her back, smiling broadly. "It feels good to be in the fight again," she   
said.  
"It always does," I replied, touching her nose to mine. "Ready?"  
She nodded. "Yes, and I know Roll's ready, right sis?"  
Roll came over and beamed proudly. "Yeah, guys! Let's kick this pig!"  
She did something then I hadn't been expecting: she hugged me.   
"Whoa...you, the warrior through and through, still have the courage to hug me?" I   
asked her.  
"Pass it along to X for me when he comes back," she said.  
"I doubt it will mean nearly the same thing," I quipped with a chuckle.  
"Jerk," she said, smiling and smacking my helmet. "When we get back to   
base, let me have a good tug at that hair of yours."  
"Whatever," I said. "There's Wasp now. Out the main cockpit shield, port   
side."  
The Maverick was dark blue in color, with accents of purple along his legs   
and arms. His wings beat heavily against the air as he hovered in place. His arms   
were firmly outstretched toward the sky, radiating a type of gravity energy I'd   
hardly ever seen before, and when I had, it had been experimental...but then, Sigma   
wasn't afraid to use anything without testing it.  
The gravity well Wasp had been generating above the city was about fifty   
yards in diameter. I saw its effects demonstrated by the skyscrapers around: they   
had all been twisted and bent into odd shapes, the frames still holding chunks of   
stone, mortar, plastics, and other building materials. The girders themselves looked   
as if they could give way at any minute...that's what I guessed Sigs had wanted.  
I began giving orders. "All right, when we get out, Iris and Roll'll take five   
or six of you with them and try to stabilize those buildings. There have to be   
survivors still in there...try to find them first as best you can. Understood?"  
"Understood, Zero," Iris said.  
"I'll take another six of you, plus Chakra, and we'll start on getting rid of   
Wasp. Clear?"  
"Crystal, sir," Hale said.  
"And Skyler...you keep two more with you in the ship and get to the ground.   
You're going to have to set it down kind of far away from Portal Wasp, or else   
you're going to lose control of your flight. When you get down, wait for further   
orders. Got it?"  
"Consider it got, sir," Skyler said.  
"Alright...here we go..." I said, opening the side door. "Don't be afraid to   
jump, guys...that's what dash attachments are for."  
I hopped out as an example. Kyte, Hale, and Chrys followed me out. Drex   
followed them, and eventually the others joined. I used my mid-air dash to stabilize   
me before I hit the ground. The hydraulics in my legs barely squeaked as I landed,   
pulling my saber from its scabbard on reflex and igniting it.  
"Wasp, your wings are about to be clipped," I muttered. "I refuse to let   
another outbreak of the virus affect the humans as well as us Reploids."  
Drex popped up behind me. "I'm with your group, sir...just for your   
information."  
"Thank you Drex," I said. "Giving me fair warning."  
"Indeed, sir...shall we?"  
"I think we should. Let's."  
I hopped up onto the side of the nearest building, gripped it, pushed off with   
my feet, and repeated the action as I moved up the wall. I saw the others follow me   
close behind. Kicking my way to the top of the structure, I took a stance atop the   
roof. Dash-jumping quickly off the roof before the others could follow me, I sailed   
directly at my target and struck--Portal Wasp.  
I collided with Wasp in midair, my feet knocking him somewhat out of his   
hover. I landed on a balcony about twenty feet below me, again using my midair   
dash to stabilize myself. As I looked back at Wasp, I saw that my attack had been   
enough to break his concentration, and the gravity well began to slowly dissipate.   
Bingo, I thought. Hunters, one, Wasp, zero.  
"Ah...Zero...we've been expecting you."  
"I got that impression, Wasp. So where are your other buddies, or do we   
have to find that for ourselves?"  
"Sand Scarab and Glacial Snowcat should be somewhere around..." he said   
ambiguously. "...For now, however, that's none of your concern."  
"You are my concern right now. You do understand it's suicide to be one of   
the eight guardian Mavericks, don't you? We've never lost to any one of them."  
He shrugged. "First time for everything."  
Raising a hand, he created a black circle in front of him, obviously a portal of   
some kind...  
And I felt his fist strike the back of my head. Twisting my head around, I   
saw a replica of the hole he had created, his open hand now waving at me.  
"Nice trick," I said. "Sigs really did put some thought into you, didn't he?"  
"Who said anything about Sigma?" he asked, drawing his hand back and   
closing the portal. "I certainly didn't."  
"I know Sigma's behind Wraith, Wasp," I said. "Don't play dumb with me."  
"Think what you like, Zero. You certainly have that right, at least for now."  
"You're as impetuous as he is," I said. "His personality shows."  
"Are you going to stand there and talk with me all day or fight?" he asked. "I   
can get back to that gravity well, if you like..."  
I rushed at him with my saber, dash-jumping off the roof and directly into his   
path. I raised the saber to take one good slice, then brought it through its course as   
he raised both his hands.  
In a flash, I was flying towards nothingness. I could see buildings and the   
like, of course...with a second thought, I took a look back. Wasp was...behind me?  
He generated another portal, big enough for your entire body, Zero... I   
thought. You can't just rush at this guy. You're gonna need some strategy on this   
one...Kyte might not be the worst person for this job.  
Either way, Wasp was in a mad flight toward me, his arms outstretched and   
giving off violent bursts of energy. I have to figure out something now, I thought,   
or we may all be toast before we see the rest of these Mavericks! 


	9. Maverick Encounter

Chapter Nine  
  
I dodged a punch from Wasp that came from in front of me, air-dashed to the   
right, and landed on a nearby building-top. "Ha," I grunted as I set down.   
Returning to my standing position, I gripped my saber in both my hands firmly.   
"Bring it on, Wasp," I said through gnashed teeth.  
I saw thirty or forty black portals appear around my body. Looking back at   
my attacker, I saw that he was smiling threateningly, a glimmer of hate in his eye.   
"Be my guest, Hunter," he said. Thrusting a hand into one of the portals around   
him, I told myself to keep my guard up.   
His hand emerged from one of the portals to my right. I moved my head to   
the left sharply, grabbing his arm with mine, still hanging onto my saber. I jerked at   
his limb quickly, bringing the saber nearer to it. He got an idea of what I was doing   
too early, unfortunately, and slapped my hand away. A half-second later, I lost my   
grip on my treasured weapon as a result of his counter-strike and watched it slip   
into one of the multitude of black holes that had materialized around my person. I   
watched it pop out of another and land on a rooftop about a hundred yards away   
from me. I cursed silently and decided to make do with my cannon and my wits.  
Wasp had taken a more defensive position now, eliminating perhaps thirty of   
the portals he had been using. He threw a punch at an opening. I jumped, blocked   
his fist from behind me, and flipped over to attempt a crescent-shaped kick at his   
shoulder. He dodged, and I landed back on my building.  
I brought both my hands together, clenching them both in a tight fist. Dash-  
jumping off the roof at Wasp, I yelled with the animosity of a true Hunter as I   
brought the doubled fist through its course and smacked it into...  
A portal? Wait, that's not right... I thought instantly.  
And then, in the next instant, I felt my hands stinging...and also the back of   
my own head. He had generated an opening behind me too...I swore openly this   
time. "What, you have to rely on me to beat myself up?" I asked him.  
"Whatever works," he said nonchalantly. "But I think I'll take the initiative   
this time."  
He slammed his weight forward, instantly disappearing into a body-sized   
portal he projected. For a few seconds, I saw nor sensed a thing, then...  
I saw his insectlike form dart out from a portal near the building where my   
sword had dropped. Scooping up my weapon as I dash-jumped toward him, he   
vanished into nothingness again as I watched another portal close in front of me.   
This is insane... I thought, but now he's got my saber. That makes it personal.  
I dashed off the building , down to a flagpole, where I swung with the grace   
of a professional gymnast, once, twice, and thrice around, then used the momentum   
to propel me back up into the air. I flew up next to Wasp, his face assuming a   
surprised and somewhat frightened expression. I muttered a brief "Hi", then   
banana-kicked him in the back into a sign a few yards away on top of another   
building.  
Double-jumping in the air, I landed quietly on Wasp's building, smiling   
softly. "Whatever Sigs told you isn't true about the Maverick Hunters," I said.   
"We ARE that good."  
I rushed up, throwing a punch at his chin. He expected the blow to come,   
and created a portal there. I pulled my fist back quickly and took hold of his own,   
denting his metal skin with my strong grip. I got the other in my grasp as well, and   
he could not move at all. He grunted and cursed, clearly seeing I was enjoying   
every second.  
"Not so tough when you can't use your hands, are you, Wasp?" I asked.   
"That's the way you direct your power. I noticed it when you created all those   
portals around me, and when you were trying to open the gravity well. Give up   
now."  
He yelled "Never!", pulling the saber from somewhere, igniting it, and   
holding it against my throat menacingly all in one fluid motion. I was shocked at   
first that he reacted so quickly with the blade, but soon found my confident smile   
again and donned it. Pulling his arms as far forward as I possibly could, he moaned   
as they reached their length. I heard a faint creaking sound, as if his hydraulics   
were about to burst.  
In a last, desperate move, he threw the blade into a portal he concocted and   
then sealed it just as quickly. It stopped me from pulling on his arms just long   
enough for him to try another attack. Launching himself up into the air, he charged   
a goodly deal of energy in his hands, aiming it at me. I saw my chance. Double-  
jumping close to him, I threw a solid punch. He opened a portal.  
Bingo, I thought. Drawing my hand back again quickly, I struck at his arm,   
pulling it through the portal. He had only a second to react--would he choose to fire   
the energy at himself from his arm, which was now pointing at him through the   
portal intended for my fist to punch me through, or would he seal the portal...?  
My question was answered. He knew the blast would've been far too much   
for him at this point in the game. He closed the portal nearly instantly, his arm   
lopping off from its source and falling to the rooftop as it let out a burst of energy   
that passed both of us, creating a brilliant blue spark a few thousand yards away.  
Now he was mad, I realized. As I landed back on the rooftop, he flew at me   
full-bore, waving his unscathed arm, already charging again with energy. I noticed   
a sparkle of light coming from something falling at me from the sky...my saber! I   
took a mighty leap to make contact with it.  
I looked down. Wasp had torn into the rooftop, making something of a   
trench along the metal and stone structure. His eyes burned red as he flew up to me   
now, again full speed.  
I smiled calmly, caught the saber, ignited it, and with a shout of   
"Hyouretsuzan!", came thundering downward with a jagged crystalline ice blade   
that ripped his limbs and body to shreds. His parts flew upward as I set down on   
the roof, landing with a hand to steady me, my saber flung across my shoulder. His   
pieces began to rain down a minute later, decorating the rooftop in a shrapnel-esque   
motif of blues and violets.  
I turned to my unit on a neighboring rooftop. "That's how it's done," I   
called.  
I got a thumbs-up back from Chakra and Kyte both, then turned back around   
and summoned up my learning computer.  
From the computer, I found the Maverick's power would give me a boost in   
energy, and also a new ability called Space-Time Shot. Reminiscent of an old   
technique I learned from Cyber Peacock called Rakuhouha, it allowed me to charge   
a bit of Wasp's spacial energy in my hand and pound the ground with it, sending   
eight or ten silver energy spheres shooting up from my position. Nifty, but not the   
best of weapons. I demonstrated once for the unit, raising my free hand into the air.   
Blue-silver energy gathered there for a fraction of a second, then I flung down my   
fist and the orbs flew and dissipated.  
Dash-jumping back over to their position, I checked in. "Did Skyler land   
okay?" I asked.  
Chakra answered. "Yeah, he came in okay, with a little bit of turbulence.   
We've been getting radios from him down there that he saw some Maverick   
activity, so we sent Hale and Drex down to check it out."  
"I thought it seemed a little too quiet," I said. "I think we should follow.   
Any word on how they're doing?"  
"Nothing just yet, sir. They're both trying to keep radio contact to a   
minimum while they sneak up on the Mavericks, I think."  
"Let them have it their way," I said. "They're both professional enough.   
They know what they're doing."  
"I think you're right, sir," he replied. "We should definitely get down there   
ourselves, though, to see exactly what they're up against."  
"I know who they're up against..." I said. "Wasp mention two Mavericks   
named Glacial Snowcat and Sand Scarab that were supposed to be around   
somewhere. Ten to one that's who Drex and Hale are dealing with."  
"Well, we've gotta help!" called Chrys from the back. I smiled.  
"We will," I said. "Just give them a minute. If Drex and Hale can't get rid   
of two lousy Mavericks, I'll have to have harsh words with them later on."  
"I think you're right, sir," Kyte said. "If anything, Drex's rage alone would   
be enough to topple a Maverick. And Hale...well, Hale has his gauntlet."  
I smiled. "Indeed he does, Kyte. Indeed he does..."  
  
Drex  
I slashed away at an ice block the one called Glacial Snowcat slid at me. I   
was able to take it out, sending frost flying this way and that. I jumped up into the   
air, coming down at the Maverick with a fierce kick. He didn't see the blow   
coming, and I gave his chest a good smack. He flew backward into a pile of stone   
rubble, pausing an instant before standing again.  
He growled ominously, sending a small chill up my spine. "You and your   
pitiful friend are no match for us," he said with an evil grin.  
I shot a quick glance over at Hale. Yes, he had problems of his own, in the   
form of another Maverick named Sand Scarab.  
"The others nicknamed me and my friend Desert and Tundra," he said,   
"because we each have unique abilities of both the two elements. For instance...I   
have the ability to generate large blocks of ice and manipulate them, like so..." he   
trailed off, a puff of white frosty fog coming from his hand. When the steam   
cleared, I saw he had created a small, intricately designed knife made entirely of ice.  
His hand jerked, and I moved out of reflex. He threw the knife where my   
head would have been, hitting instead a building with the projectile, where it split   
into a hundred pieces. "And my friend...Scarab can generate sand, create lifelike   
drones of himself out of it, and cause storms of it. I thought your friend's armor   
was looking a tad weather-worn."  
"Former friend," I corrected almost automatically. "But that doesn't matter.   
Point is, I'm going to end your little joyride right here, right now."  
He struck with a beastly pounce. I smirked, bringing my saber up to my   
shoulder level and ducking quickly. He flew over me, and I brought the saber up   
through his legs as he touched down on the other side. He crashed to the ground,   
his stance now destroyed. He roared fiercely as he hopped along the ground with   
his hands toward me. "The Maverick cause shall never die!" he shouted, swiping a   
claw across my line of vision.  
The attack caught me unexpectedly, and I felt a definite hit on my face where   
he had aimed. That stung.  
"The Maverick cause may never die, Snowcat," I said, "but neither shall the   
Maverick Hunters." I brought the saber down and swung it swiftly across his chest.   
His circuitry spilled out, littering the ground. Horrified, he held both his hands to   
the gash, trying his best to seal it again with a wave of ice, but to no avail. I knew I   
had already cut his coolant lines, and his powers were laughable now. With another   
strike of the saber, his left hand dropped, then his right arm after another hit.   
"Death to the Hunters!" he yelled as I stabbed his neck sharply, and then a strangled   
cry of, "Avenge me, dear Desert," as the blue gleam in his eyes died away and his   
fists relaxed.  
I radioed the others quickly. "This is Drex. Unit Zero, are you there?"  
"Yeah, this is Skyler, Drex. Gimme the lowdown."  
"I just destroyed Glacial Snowcat. Hale's still working on the scarab. Tell   
Commander Omega to get his butt down here and suck up the cat's energy before it   
dissipates, will ya?"  
"Right. I'll get him now."  
All right, I thought. The commander will be here in a minute. Until then...is   
Hale having trouble with Sand Scarab? I think he may need some help.  
I dashed over and watched Scarab's wings flutter out of his back, propelling   
him into the air. Hale took a swipe or two at him with his gauntlet as he left, but   
was only able to scrape at his leg. Scarab yelled a few curses at Hale, but Hale only   
laughed heartily and watched his escape.  
I walked over to place a hand on my fellow Hunter's shoulder. "Nice job," I   
said.  
"You don't have to be so sarcastic," he replied, shrugging my hand away.  
"I wasn't," I protested. "That was really good."  
"Whatever," he said, turning around. "Do the others know where we are   
yet?"  
"I just radioed Skyler a minute ago. He related my location to the   
commander. He ought to be here in a few seconds."  
"Good," he said. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the dropship, inching   
nearer. Setting down after its approach, Hale and I both walked over in silence.  
The door swung open, and out stepped Zero. Hopping down to the ground,   
he smiled at both Hale and I and offered a wave before speaking. "Hey guys,   
how's things?"  
"Well, I got rid of Snowcat," I said. "The atoms of his energy are floating   
around, waiting for you."  
"How about you, Hale?" he asked. "How'd you do?"  
"Well, I didn't get a good shot in at the bug," he said. "He faked me out a lot   
with his drones."  
"You've gotta watch for that," Zero said. "You have to develop a feel for   
these things. There's a certain sixth sense that comes with experience in the   
Hunters. You'll develop it eventually."  
Hale lowered his head and made a muted grunt. "Yes sir. Thank you, sir."  
"And Drex...thanks. Good job." He walked over to where Snowcat's body   
lay, still mangled and smoking faintly. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll take his   
power."  
"Certainly not, sir. We'll just watch."  
He acknowledged the response with a modest wave. Finally stopping, his   
hands clenched into fists as blue-white energy began gathering around his body.   
Small spheres of plasma energy radiated around, spinning in an atomic form around   
its nucleus. Finally, the spheres began accelerating, moving in tighter each second,   
and eventually taking home in Zero's helmet light. His eyes opened slightly, a   
gentle glow about him. He smiled. "Frost Buster."  
He stretched, aimed his Z-Buster up into the air, and began charging. The   
color of the ball that began forming at the end of his blaster wasn't his normal blue,   
however, but instead a fierce white. The blaster came to its maximum charge, and   
he leveled his cannon at a nearby garbage dumpster. He fired the shot. As it   
traveled outward from his cannon, it left a minute trail of white frost in the air. As   
it hit, we didn't think it had done anything, but after a half-second, the container   
froze almost instantly, and tons of icy spikes shot out of the frozen dumpster.  
"Nice," Zero remarked. "I think I know who this weapon's meant to   
destroy."  
"I think we should get back to base," Hale said. "We've been away too long.   
There's probably been an update in the news on what Mavericks are moving."  
"Right," Zero said. "Let's get back. I need to talk to Iris." 


	10. A Conference with Wraith...

Chapter Ten  
  
Zero  
I took a ship out alone after checking back in with Iris and Roll at base. I   
needed to clear my mind, and I didn't feel like hopping into the meadow; I had been   
there that day once already. I flew almost silently over the Grynchon mountain   
range, in whose valley lake we had fought Sigma those few short months ago.   
Chuckling, I again asked myself: "IS Wraith Sigma?" I couldn't say at this point. I   
needed more time to think and gather more evidence before I could form any kind   
of hypothesis.  
I flew on, passing the small Italian restaurant Iris and I had eaten at on our   
first official date. "Mama Pepelli's..." I muttered. "Good sherry. Good pasta."  
But amidst the noise I tried to keep constant, a solitary thought still nagged at   
the back of my mind: Where in the heck is X?  
I still hadn't been able to overcome the fact that my best friend hadn't   
considered to take me with him.  
"Aw, criminy!" I shouted, finally realizing: "I haven't sent him a message   
that the girls came back yet!"  
I composed a short note on my arm computer as I steered the ship, typing out   
finally:  
  
Dear X,  
Zero again. Listen, I know you're out searching for the girls, and I hate to   
burst your bubble, but they came back! You've gotta return to base ASAP and   
give Roll a monster hug! (Just don't let her squeeze the life out of you; she   
nearly did me.)   
Hope to see you soon,  
Zero.  
  
I sent the message off to the same Hunter protocol address I had used before,   
and kept flying. Over rivers, lakes, roads, and forests my small jet roamed, with   
myself never truly having a destination. I flipped on the autopilot, once I had   
eventually realized that. I tuned the radio channel to something catchy, quiet.   
Settling back in the comfortable command chair and closing my eyes, I slipped into   
a state of absolute complacency, devoiding my mind of any notion or memory of   
Sigma or Wraith for a few brief minutes.  
Absolute bliss...utter and complete comfort... A feeling like I'd never have to   
fight a war ever again, if everyone could just learn to be this calm and content...  
  
* * *  
  
"Zero..." a gentle female voice called. "Zeroooo..."  
I was sitting in the pilot's chair of the ship I had been piloting, but it was   
completely disembodied from the vessel; I had no idea where I was.  
"Zeroooo..." the voice called again, more ghostly now. "It's time for you to   
come home, Zero."  
I sat up from my reclining position in the seat. "Who--are you?" I asked the   
void before me. A swirl of purples and blues rained down into my vision, as the   
female voice relaxed more and chuckled softly.  
"Silly Zero," she said. "You can't recognize my voice?"  
"Should I?" I asked blindly as I stood up and began moving in the direction I   
thought I had heard the voice come from.  
"You really have changed, Zero," she replied ambiguously. "A shame."  
"What would you know?" I asked. "You say I've changed...from what?"  
"From your true form, and your true intent. You've lost your way."  
"I'm interested...go on."  
"Your past has become a jumbled confusion of skewed memories and events.   
Your purpose has been completely forgotten. Your memory banks have taken a   
good number of hits over the years...that didn't help anything."  
"I wouldn't have supposed so," I said. "There's a lot of junk still in my   
banks that I wish could be deleted."  
"Ah, the countless scenes of helpless Reploids, droids, and even humans   
falling to your terrible grasp. Such beautiful memories."  
I walked further, coming to a peak...a cliff... Standing atop it, I looked out   
over the canyon below and gasped.  
Blood...blood flowed freely in the canyon's river...I saw a Reploid arm bob   
up from the murky depths...  
"What is this?!" I screamed. "Why have you brought me here?"  
"To show you how terrifyingly beautiful evil can be, Zero. Why can't you   
begin to see things this way? You know that was your original purpose,   
Zero...destruction."  
"Things change," I said, "and in this case, change is good."  
"Stubborn Hunter," retorted the voice. "You can't be moved from your   
views, even in your immense lack of logic."  
"Lack of logic, my eye," I yelled. "Name one reason why the Hunters are   
illogical."  
"Certainly you must believe that Reploids are overall superior to humans,"   
she said.  
"In most respects," I said. "Physically, yes. We are also more mentally   
stable, certainly...but..."  
"But nothing," interrupted the voice. "Reploids are superior to humans, and   
are therefore wasteful."  
"And you don't consider the thousands of Reploids that have been sacrificed   
for the Mavericks to be wasteful?" I asked.  
"It was necessary. Sigma uses the most efficient methods to overturn his   
enemies, and if others get in his way...well, that's when inefficiency must ensue."  
"You Mavericks...you're all the same...power-hungry, full to the brim with   
propaganda. Lying, filthy, cheating parasites. Did I get that right?"  
"The Hunters' entire purpose is to protect the humans, correct?" she inquired,   
ignoring my insult.  
"And ourselves," I added.  
"But if the humans didn't exist, then the Hunters would have no reason to   
fight the Mavericks!"  
"The virus would still enslave us...it has to take over other things to survive."  
"But perhaps our joining could be a great deal less hostile," she said.   
"Humans are the reason this planet is not perfect."  
"If everything was perfect about life, would you not find it to be boring?" I   
asked. "Or have you ever taken the time to think about it that way?" And after a   
second thought, I asked additionally: "...Or have you ever had the ability to think   
that way?"  
"I am a Maverick," she said. "It is not my responsibility to question my   
programming, only to execute it."  
"You're just like Sigma," I said. "This encounter has proven to me that he's   
still behind all this nonsense. You'd do well to find yourself within his   
consciousness and escape, whoever you are."  
"And here I thought you knew quite well who I was, Zero."  
"You're Sigma himself, aren't you?"  
"A friend, Zero. A friend of a friend. Pay attention to the others around you.   
Your Hunters will make or break you through this fight. Make certain you know   
who is working for whom."  
"I won't make that mistake again!" I yelled, leaping toward the source of the   
voice. Out of nowhere, a large black room materialized. I landed on its floor,   
finding whatever opening I had come through was now closed behind me. Looking   
forward, lights played across a mangled form in front of me. I didn't want to look,   
but knew I had to in order to sort out this strange vision.  
The lights darted across the grey and healthy fleshy tones of the mass before   
me. I found my saber in my scabbard and ignited the blade to try to make out for   
myself what lay there. Following the gentle green blade's glow to the body, I saw a   
female Reploid's form, unfamiliar to me, one lovely violet eye sparkling back at me.   
She looked to be nude, her body mostly wrapped in layers of grey, shining metal.   
Her stomach was left bare, and her navel held a small purple jewel. Her hair,   
golden in color, flowed freely behind her, incomprehensibly floating in the air.   
Numerous wires, thick and thin alike, ran out from her skull, connecting   
presumably to her most well-controlled hosts. Her other eye, I saw, was absent of   
her face, and had been replaced with a red LED that pulsed steadily. The golden,   
ghostly "W" I had noticed stamped on Portal Wasp's outer housing was tattooed   
just below her breastbone.  
"You have come," she said simply. "I am your speaker. Pardon me for not   
cleaning myself up before inviting company."  
"You..." I stammered, "...you must be..."  
"I am Wraith," she interrupted. "I am the very essence of the virus that   
plagues your world right now."  
"You--you are--"  
"A female by nature. Yes, quite. How lovely of you to notice. I thought the   
body was rather attractive myself."  
"You were--introduced into a female Reploid's body?"  
"Originally, yes. I was allowed to infect a female's body to begin with. I   
have been with her since the day she came off the assembly lines."  
"I won't even bother asking you who she is," I replied.  
"It wouldn't do much good," she admitted.  
"You are a more advanced virus than Sigma, are you not?" I asked.  
"Indeed," she said. "Of that I will tell full truth. My capacities are larger in   
all respects than his."  
"Then it was indeed possible for you to stay undetected in her form until you   
released yourself," I said. "Correct?"  
"Not entirely," she said. "It would have been perfectly simple for me to   
masquerade myself up to that point...but I did it one better. I've managed to keep   
myself hidden from those around her, even now."  
"So even if I knew your original host, I wouldn't begin to assume that she   
was your carrier," I said. "Is that it?"  
She nodded, the first movement I had seen from her since I looked upon her   
form initially. "This is why I say you should pay close attention to your friends,   
Zero. Stay alert at all times."  
"I will, have no doubt," I said. "But the others will know of this."  
"It will not make any difference," she said. "I still live in my host, like it or   
not."  
"Perhaps I should be going," I muttered. "Would you mind?"  
"Certainly not," she said. "Fare thee well, Zero," she said. "I'll be seeing   
you soon, I believe."  
"Goodbye for now, Wraith," I called. "I will live to discover your secret."  
Her red eye flashed as she smiled and began glowing violet. Energy collected   
in her hands, feet, head, chest, and the jewel in her stomach, then grew to saturate   
her entire body. Her nude form, curled into a purple ball, rose about five feet out of   
the metal covering, began pulsing slowly, then sped up as she threw her limbs   
outward and the energy seared into me.  
  
* * *  
  
The black room dissipated, and after blinking, I found myself back in the   
pilot's chair of the small ship I was flying.  
I sat back. "So Wraith is a female," I said out loud. "And her original host is   
still alive, still hiding her ties to Wraith."  
I moved the chair up, out of its reclining position. "I'm not as worried about   
her as I am Sigma, even if she says she's more advanced than him. From what I   
saw while I was there, she looks as if she's not in the best repair."  
I frowned. "But why the whole half-naked getup? Would it be to lure male   
Reploids to her?"  
I doubted that. It hadn't worked on me. Maybe that was because I was   
dedicated to Iris, though... I'd keep a lookout on the younger Hunters when we ran   
into her in person.  
For now... I thought, checking my arm computer, I'll not worry myself with   
it. I saw that X had left me another message. I opened it hastily.  
  
Zero,  
Greetings again from your true friend X. I got your message about the   
girls...good news; just what I needed right now. I'll return as quickly as possible,   
but I took a ship out, so don't expect me back for a few hours. I've missed you,   
brother. See you tonight.  
  
- X  
  
I grinned. Roll would finally have X back. That brought a happiness to my   
system that couldn't be destroyed right now. I pulled the flight stick to jar the ship   
out of auto-pilot, turned the vessel around to face the way I had come, and hit the   
afterburners to jet this baby home.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Lomae  
I checked back in at the medbay. Zero had locked it up tight, just like he had   
promised he would. I smiled. I could depend on him for most anything.  
When I entered the lab, however, I shrieked so loud I was afraid I had   
cracked the beakers in the room. "WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!" I yelled.  
I saw broken beakers, multicolored chemicals, and various lab tools spread   
all over the floor. "It seems like someone was looking for something," I said   
quietly. "But what? I wasn't hiding anything here."  
I heard someone coming up behind me--no, two people. They had heard me   
yell, obviously. I turned around. It was Dragonness and Hale, coming to check out   
the lab. "What is it?" Dragonness asked, then stepped inside. "What happened   
here?"  
"I'm not sure," I said frankly. "I just unlocked it a minute ago, then came in   
and found this disaster."  
"You're sure this was like this when you came in?" Hale asked, looking over   
some chipped glassware.  
"Yeah...I have no idea how this could have happened...we've been really   
careful about who we've brought into the Hunters this time! Could we have let   
another double-agent in?"  
"I don't know," Dragonness said. "But, Lomae...right now, you're our prime   
suspect."  
"What?!" I shrieked. "You must be joking! I've been a loyal Hunter for   
years! Why would I do something like this?"  
"You've been away since our last fight with Sigma," Dragonness said. "You   
could have contracted the virus in six months."  
"So could you!" I shouted back.  
"But I wasn't here when you yelled, was I?" she asked.  
I frowned. "So what are you going to do, arrest me?"  
"Lomae, don't take this personally. If I had anyone else to suspect, I'd point   
my finger at them...but you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I   
believe that you didn't do it...but until we find whoever did, I need you confined to   
your quarters for awhile."  
"Fine," I grunted softly, "but get someone to take care of the lab for   
me...someone who we know we can trust."  
"I'll have Cain mandate virus tests in the near future," she said. "Go get   
some rest or something back in your room. I'll contact you when we get an update   
on anything."  
"Right," I muttered, dashing off to my quarters.  
  
Dragonness  
Lomae hadn't done anything, I knew...but the others would be suspicious of   
me if I hadn't done something. As I watched her dash away, I felt like my best   
friend was leaving me...  
I watched Hale as he continued poking around the broken glass and colorful   
chemicals that had been strewn around. He reminded me so much of Chakra...  
Zero's getting to you, Dragonness, I thought as I shook my head. You don't   
love Chakra. You don't even hardly know the guy.  
Then why was I feeling this way about him every time I heard his name? I   
hadn't ever needed anyone before...why should that change now? Maybe I did feel   
something for him...  
No, Dragonness...don't question it. Not now. It's not the time nor the place.  
I heard Zero running down the corridor, stopping when he ran into Lomae,   
talking for thirty seconds or so, then continuing to the lab.  
"Dragonness! Hale!" he hailed us.  
"Yes, Zero?" I returned. "Did you have a good flight?"  
"It was...informative," he said. "What's this I hear about you confining   
Lomae to her quarters?"  
"She said she unlocked the medbay, walked into the lab, and found it   
like...this," I gestured to the mess. "She said she had no idea what could have   
caused it, but she swore it wasn't her."  
"Maverick?" he asked.  
"A fungus among us, it would seem," I said with a nod. "After she screamed   
when she saw what had happened, Chak...I mean Hale and I came running to see   
what was the matter, and found this chaotic scene."  
"Lomae didn't cause this," Hale said. "I know she didn't."  
"How so?" I asked.  
"She's the tidiest one of the lot of us," he said. "She can't stand to see a   
speck of dust on her beloved beakers over here."  
"What if she's been infected, Hale?" Zero asked.  
"I have a feeling she's impress a sense of neatness on the virus, sir," he   
replied with a grin.  
"I had no choice, Zero," I said. "I had to do something, or it'd make me look   
like I was letting her get away with it, like she and I both were Mavericks, and both   
helping each other out."  
He nodded. "It's true, you have a degree of power as far as base security is   
concerned. You made a good call, Dragonness. Now, for my news..."  
"Good news, I should hope, sir."  
"Indeed. I got a message from X while I was out flying. I told him about the   
girls being back here, and...and it appears he'll be back in a few hours!"  
"That's wonderful, Zero!" I said, smiling earnestly. "Hale and the others will   
finally get their first taste of X, then."  
"Oh joy," I heard from behind me. Drex had come up silently, now lounging   
against the doorframe with his arms crossed.  
"Drex," Zero said. "Good to see you."  
"And you, sir. Hale," he acknowledged, giving his former teammate a nod.   
"Dragonness! To what do I owe the honor of your presence being taken from me?"  
"If you want me gone, all you have to do is say so," I said, smirking. "Call   
me when X gets in," I said to Zero as I walked away.  
  
Hale  
"What do you want?" I asked Drex.  
"Only to speak with you and the commander a moment," he said. "I know   
our friendship's been well disintegrated for some time," he continued, "but that   
doesn't mean I've stopped worrying about your well-being."  
I raised my eyebrows. "You still care about me?" I asked.  
"Not what I said," he replied darkly, striding over to me. He put a hand on   
my shoulder. "I'm worried about your welfare, Hale. Can you honestly look me in   
the eyes and tell me you haven't gone Maverick?"  
"Always the accuser," I said. "Must you always lash out at those you don't   
agree with, Drex?"  
"Just look at me," he said, gripping both my shoulders firmly.  
"What should stop me from thinking you're the Maverick here?" I asked.  
"Absolutely nothing," he said. "Isn't it exciting?"  
"I trust you, Drex," Zero said firmly. "I believe you're yourself."  
"Thank you, sir," he said.  
"And why don't you trust me?" I asked.  
Zero looked at me. "You haven't given me reason to trust you just yet,   
Hale," he replied shortly. "Drex did when he took out Glacial Snowcat. You, on   
the other hand..."  
"I did my best!"  
"You might have beaten me when we sparred earlier," I said. "If that were   
true, I know you could've beaten Sand Scarab without much trouble."  
I frowned.  
"The question is: were you toying with Scarab...or did you let him get away   
on purpose, because he was one of your fellow soldiers?" he asked.  
There was a dead silence for a half-second, then I spoke up: "He just got   
lucky. His sand drones confused me, that's all."  
"But do you see how I justify my view?" he asked.  
I nodded. "Yes sir. Noted, sir."  
"Keep that in mind," he said.  
"Wait!" Drex said. "I still want to test him my way."  
"Fine with me," I said. "Go ahead."  
He took my shoulders again in his hands, his black eyes peering directly into   
my own. "Have you been infected with the Wraith or Sigma viruses?"  
I let out a long breath. "No," I said. "No, I haven't."  
He stared there a few seconds, then nodded to himself. "He's himself."  
"But just in case," I said, "I'm confining all newbies, save for Drex, to their   
quarters as of this moment. I'll have to get a bulletin out to Dr. Cain. Hale, go find   
your room, and tell any newbies you see along the way to do the same until further   
notice."  
"Aye, sir," I said dispassionately. "Have fun staying out of your room,   
Drex," I hissed as I turned to go.  
  
* * *  
  
Zero  
"This is an announcement to all Maverick Hunters," Cain said over the   
intercom. "We will be conducting standard viral testing procedures over the next   
few days. Until then, only those who have been notified ahead of time will be   
allowed out of their quarters. There will be regular patrols running through the   
Hunter Base complex to encourage all of you to stay put. We know this will most   
certainly displease a large number of you, but due to our current circumstances, it   
would be more beneficial for all of you to obey these orders.  
"We have reason to believe that one or more Mavericks are among you," he   
continued. "Please cooperate so that we can root out these double-agents. That is   
all."  
"This is Commander Zero Omega," I said over the radio. "The only Hunters   
privileged to walk outside their rooms for the time being are as follows: myself, Iris,   
Roll, Skyler, Hybric, Khizarr, Chakra, Dragonness, and Drex. If you did not hear   
your name, then you must stay in your quarters for these few days while we conduct   
tests and root out this problem. Thank you for your cooperation."  
And our numbers have taken a definite hit... I thought. We need some kind   
of backup...we need help!  
Cain met my gaze and nodded, as if he heard my thought. "Sigma 2.0 is   
complete," he said. "He is ready to go whenever you see fit."  
I raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't tell me until now?"  
"You were busy," he said. "On another of your quests to rid your mind of   
stress." He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I have great respect for you, Zero,   
but...be realistic. Until we are rid of this blasted virus, you have no chance of your   
stress just disappearing."  
"I know, Doc," I replied. "Thanks."  
"I just say what needs to be said," he responded with a smile. "Why don't   
you come with me? We can go see your newly resurrected ally."  
"Sounds like a good idea," I said, telling the Hunter computer to put my   
helmet away. It erased itself into wireframe upon my head, then disappeared   
completely. I pulled the blue tie that held my hair in its ponytail and let my blonde   
locks fall free. "Let's go." 


End file.
